Molecular Characterization of TRPA Subfamily Genes and Function in Temperature Preference in (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

To reveal the mechanism of temperature preference in , one of the top 20 plant pests in the world, we cloned and identified , , and genes by RACE and bioinformatic analysis, and clarified their expression profiles during different development stages using real-time PCR, and revealed their function in preference temperature by RNAi. The full-length cDNA of was 3136 bp, with a 2865-bp open reading frame encoding a 259.89-kDa protein; and the partial length cDNA of was 2326-bp, with a 2025-bp open reading frame encoding a 193.16-kDa protein. In addition, the expression of and was significantly lower in larvae than other stages, and it was significantly higher in pupae and newly emerging males for . After feeding target double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), the preferred temperature decreased 2 °C more than the control group. In conclusion, the results firstly indicated the molecular characterization of TRPA subfamily genes and their key role in temperature perception in , and the study will help us to understand the temperature-sensing mechanism in the pest, and will provide some basis for study of other Lepidoptera insects' temperature preference. Moreover, it is of great significance in enriching the research progress of "thermos TRP".