Olfaction is primarily mediated by highly specified olfactory receptors （ORs）. Here, we cloned and identified an olfactory receptor, named SlituOR1 （Genbank no. JN835269）, from Spodoptera litura and found evidence...Olfaction is primarily mediated by highly specified olfactory receptors （ORs）. Here, we cloned and identified an olfactory receptor, named SlituOR1 （Genbank no. JN835269）, from Spodoptera litura and found evidence that it is a candidate pheromone receptor. It exhibited male-biased expression in the antennae, where it was localized at the base of sensilla trichoidea, the antennal sensilla mainly responsive to pheromones in moths. Conserved orthologues of this receptor, found among known pheromone receptors within the Lepidoptera, and SlituOR1 were placed among a clade of candidate pheromone re- ceptors in a phylogeny tree of insect OR gene sequences. SlituOR1 showed differential expression in S. litura populations attracted to traps baited with different ratios of the two sex pheromone components （9Z,11E）-tetradecadienyl acetate （Z9E11-14：OAc） and （9Z,12E）-tetradecadienyl acetate （Z9E12-14：OAc）. Knocking down of SlituOR1 by RNA interference reduced the electroantennogram （EAG） response to Z9E11-14：OAc, and this result is consistent with the field trapping experiment. We infer that variation in transcrip- tion levels of olfactory receptors may modulate sex pheromone perception in male moths and could provide some of the flexibility required to maintain the functionality of com- munication with females when a population is adapting to a new niche and reproductive isolation becomes an advantage.展开更多
基金This study was funded by the Special Fund for Agro- scientific Research in the Public Interest in China （Grant No. 201203036）, Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang （Project No. D3080388） and National 973 Project （Project No. 2012CB11410005）.
文摘Olfaction is primarily mediated by highly specified olfactory receptors （ORs）. Here, we cloned and identified an olfactory receptor, named SlituOR1 （Genbank no. JN835269）, from Spodoptera litura and found evidence that it is a candidate pheromone receptor. It exhibited male-biased expression in the antennae, where it was localized at the base of sensilla trichoidea, the antennal sensilla mainly responsive to pheromones in moths. Conserved orthologues of this receptor, found among known pheromone receptors within the Lepidoptera, and SlituOR1 were placed among a clade of candidate pheromone re- ceptors in a phylogeny tree of insect OR gene sequences. SlituOR1 showed differential expression in S. litura populations attracted to traps baited with different ratios of the two sex pheromone components （9Z,11E）-tetradecadienyl acetate （Z9E11-14：OAc） and （9Z,12E）-tetradecadienyl acetate （Z9E12-14：OAc）. Knocking down of SlituOR1 by RNA interference reduced the electroantennogram （EAG） response to Z9E11-14：OAc, and this result is consistent with the field trapping experiment. We infer that variation in transcrip- tion levels of olfactory receptors may modulate sex pheromone perception in male moths and could provide some of the flexibility required to maintain the functionality of com- munication with females when a population is adapting to a new niche and reproductive isolation becomes an advantage.
