Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology最新文献

{"title":"Knockout of cryptochrome 1 disrupts circadian rhythm and photoperiodic diapause induction in the silkworm, Bombyx mori","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104153","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104153","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Most insects enter diapause, a state of physiological dormancy crucial for enduring harsh seasons, with photoperiod serving as the primary cue for its induction, ensuring proper seasonal timing of the process. Although the involvement of the circadian clock in the photoperiodic time measurement has been demonstrated through knockdown or knockout of clock genes, the involvement of clock gene <em>cryptochrome 1</em> (<em>cry1</em>), which functions as a photoreceptor implicated in photoentrainment of the circadian clock across various insect species, remains unclear. In bivoltine strains of the silkworm, <em>Bombyx mori</em>, embryonic diapause is maternally controlled and affected by environmental conditions experienced by mother moths during embryonic and larval stages. Previous research highlighted the role of core clock genes, including <em>period</em> (<em>per</em>), <em>timeless</em> (<em>tim</em>), <em>Clock</em> (<em>Clk</em>) and <em>cycle</em> (<em>cyc</em>), in photoperiodic diapause induction in <em>B. mori</em>. In this study, we focused on the involvement of <em>cry1</em> gene in <em>B. mori</em> photoperiodism. Phylogenetic analysis and conserved domain identification confirmed the presence of both <em>Drosophila</em>-type <em>cry</em> (<em>cry1</em>) and mammalian-type <em>cry</em> (<em>cry2</em>) genes in the <em>B. mori</em> genome, akin to other lepidopterans. Temporal expression analysis revealed higher <em>cry1</em> gene expression during the photophase and lower expression during the scotophase, with knockouts of core clock genes (<em>per</em>, <em>tim</em>, <em>Clk</em> and <em>cyc</em>) disrupting this temporal expression pattern. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, we established a <em>cry1</em> knockout strain in p50T, a bivoltine strain exhibiting clear photoperiodism during both embryonic and larval stages. Although the wild-type strain displayed circadian rhythm in eclosion under continuous darkness, the <em>cry1</em> knockout strain exhibited arrhythmic eclosion, implicating <em>B. mori cry1</em> in the circadian clock feedback loop governing behavior rhythms. Females of the <em>cry1</em> knockout strain failed to control photoperiodic diapause induction during both embryonic and larval stages, mirroring the diapause phenotype of the wild-type individuals reared under constant darkness, indicating that <em>B. mori</em> CRY1 contributes to photoperiodic time measurement as a photoreceptor. Furthermore, photoperiodic diapause induction during the larval stage was abolished in a <em>cry1</em>/<em>tim</em> double-knockout strain, suggesting that photic information received by CRY1 is relayed to the circadian clock. Overall, this study represents the first evidence of <em>cry1</em> involvement in insect photoperiodism, specifically in diapause induction.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 104153"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965174824000845/pdfft?md5=5e5766ee40ae3c270d8adc26a43b589a&pid=1-s2.0-S0965174824000845-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141533101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive gene expression analysis of the unique three-layered cocoon of the cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia","authors":"Lenka Rouhová ,&nbsp;Šárka Podlahová ,&nbsp;Peter Kmet ,&nbsp;Michal Žurovec ,&nbsp;Hana Sehadová ,&nbsp;Ivo Sauman","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104152","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104152","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The larvae of the moth <em>Hyalophora cecropia</em> spin silk cocoons with morphologically distinct layers. We investigated the expression of the individual silk protein components of these cocoons in relation to the morphology of the silk gland and its affiliation to the different layers of the cocoon. The study used transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to identify 91 proteins associated with the silk cocoons, 63 of which have a signal peptide indicating their secretory nature. We checked the specificity of their expression in different parts of the SG and the presence of the corresponding protein products in each cocoon layer. Differences were observed among less abundant proteins with unclear functions. The representation of proteins in the inner envelope and intermediate space was similar, except for a higher proportion of probable contaminating proteins, mostly originating from the gut. On the other hand, the outer envelope contains a number of putative enzymes with unclear function. However, the protein most specific to the outer layer has sequence homology to putative serine/threonine kinase-like proteins and some adhesive proteins, and its closest homolog in <em>Bombyx mori</em> was found in the scaffold silk. This research provides valuable insights into the silk production of the cecropia moth, highlighting both similarities and differences to other moth species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 104152"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141464935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of a novel secretory peptidoglycan recognition protein with antibacterial ability from the Chinese Oak Silkworm Antheraea pernyi in humoral immunity","authors":"Xutong Duan ,&nbsp;Ting Fu ,&nbsp;Chang Liu ,&nbsp;Fuhui Wang ,&nbsp;Chengbao Liu ,&nbsp;Lin Zhao ,&nbsp;JinZhu Yu ,&nbsp;Xialu Wang ,&nbsp;Rong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104151","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104151","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are a family of pattern recognition receptors that play a critical role in the immune response of invertebrates and vertebrates. Herein, the short <em>Ap</em>PGRP-D gene was cloned from the model lepidopteran <em>Antheraea pernyi.</em> Quantitative PCR (qPCR) confirmed that <em>Ap</em>PGRP-D is an immune-related protein and that the expression of <em>Ap</em>PGRP-D can be induced by microorganisms. <em>Ap</em>PGRP-D is a broad-spectrum pattern recognition protein that activates the prophenoloxidase cascade activation system and promotes the agglutination of microbial cells. Likely due to its amidase activity, <em>Ap</em>PGRP-D can inhibit the growth of <em>E. coli</em> and <em>S. aureus</em>. In addition, we demonstrated for the first time that zinc ions, as important metal coenzymes, could promote multiple functions of <em>Ap</em>PGRP-D but not its amidase activity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 104151"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141329921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The chitinase genes TuCht4 and TuCht10 are indispensable for molting and survival of Tetranychus urticae","authors":"Ming Liu ,&nbsp;Rongchumu Ge ,&nbsp;Lihong Song ,&nbsp;Yan Chen ,&nbsp;Shuo Yan ,&nbsp;Chunya Bu","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104150","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104150","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Insect chitinases (Chts) play a crucial role in the molting process, enabling continuous growth through sequential developmental stages. Based on their high homology to insect Chts, <em>TuCht1</em> (group II), <em>TuCht4</em> (group I) and <em>TuCht10</em> (group IV) were identified, and their roles during molting process were investigated. <em>TuCht1</em> was mainly expressed in the deutonymphal stage, while <em>TuCht4</em> was mainly expressed in the nymphal stage and the highest expression level of <em>TuCht10</em> was observed in the larvae. Feeding RNAi assays have shown that group I <em>TuCht4</em> and group Ⅳ <em>TuCht10</em> are involved in mite molting. Suppression of <em>TuCht4</em> or <em>TuCht10</em> resulted in high mortality, molting abnormalities and the absence of distinct electron dense layers of chitinous horizontal laminae in the cuticle, as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The nanocarrier mediated RNAi had significantly higher RNAi efficiency and caused higher mortality. The results of the present study suggest that chitinase genes <em>TuCht4</em> and <em>TuCht10</em> are potential targets for dietary RNAi, and demonstrates a nanocarrier-mediated delivery system to enhance the bioactivity of dsRNA, providing a potential technology for green pest management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 104150"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141316330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The allatotropin/orexin system as an example of immunomodulatory properties of neuropeptides","authors":"Natalia Konopińska ,&nbsp;Radosław Gmyrek ,&nbsp;Natalia Bylewska ,&nbsp;Sara Tchórzewska ,&nbsp;Grzegorz Nowicki ,&nbsp;Jan Lubawy ,&nbsp;Karolina Walkowiak-Nowicka ,&nbsp;Arkadiusz Urbański","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The central nervous system (CNS) plays a critical role in signal integration in animals and allows the orchestration of life processes to maintain homeostasis. Current research clearly shows that inflammatory processes can also be modulated by the CNS <em>via</em> the neuroendocrine system. One of the neuropeptide families that participate in vertebrates in this process is orexins (OXs). Interestingly, our previous results suggested that a similar dependency may also exist between neuropeptides and immune system activity in insects. Due to the structural homology of orexin and allatotropin receptors and the functional similarity between these two neuropeptide families, the main aim of this research was to perform a complex analysis of the relationships between allatotropin (AT) and the insect immune response. Our results revealed functional similarities between vertebrate OXs and insect ATs. Similar effects were observed in the profile of the expression level of the gene encoding the AT precursor in the <em>Tenebrio molitor</em> nervous system and in the general action of Tenmo-AT on selected immune parameters of the tested beetles. Moreover, for the first time in insects, we confirmed the role of cytokines in the modulation of neuroendocrine system by determining the effect of Spätzle-like protein injection on the expression of genes encoding AT precursor and receptor. All these results are important for understanding the evolutionary basis of hormonal regulation of the immune response.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 104149"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965174824000808/pdfft?md5=8d2d8a44f2123e404e6b16082a208295&pid=1-s2.0-S0965174824000808-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141316329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Peroxisome biogenesis factor PEX14 is crucial for survival and fecundity of female brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)","authors":"Yuqiong Liu,&nbsp;Huan Dai,&nbsp;Anfu Bamu,&nbsp;Xinda Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Peroxisomes are ubiquitous cellular organelles participating in a variety of critical metabolic reactions. PEX14 is an essential peroxin responsible for peroxisome biogenesis. In this study, we identified the human PEX14 homolog in the brown planthopper, <em>Nilaparvata lugens</em> (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). <em>N. lugens</em> PEX14 (NlPEX14) showed significant topological similarity to its human counterpart. It is expressed throughout all developmental stages, with the highest expression observed in adult insects. Down-regulation of <em>NlPEX14</em> through injection of <em>NlPEX14-</em>specific double-strand RNA impaired nymphal development. Moreover, females subjected to <em>dsNlPEX14</em> treatment exhibited a significantly reduced lifespan. Additionally, we found abnormal ovarian development and a significant decrease in the number of eggs laid in <em>NlPEX14</em>-downregulated females. Further experiments support that the shortening of lifespan and the decrease in female fecundity can be attributed, at least partially, to the accumulation of fatty acids and reduced expression of vitellogenin. Together, our study reveals an indispensable function of <em>NlPEX14</em> for insect reproduction and establishes a causal connection between the phenotypes and peroxisome biogenesis, shedding light on the importance of peroxisomes in female fecundity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 104139"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141178477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relish-mediated C2H2 zinc finger protein IMZF restores Drosophila immune homeostasis via inhibiting the transcription of Imd/Tak1","authors":"Hongjian Zhou ,&nbsp;Li Liu ,&nbsp;Yujia Pang ,&nbsp;Yina Xu ,&nbsp;Jing Wu ,&nbsp;Fei Ma ,&nbsp;Ping Jin ,&nbsp;Xue Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The dysregulation of intensity and duration in innate immunity can result in detrimental effects on the body, emphasizing the crucial need for precise regulation. However, the intricate and accurate nature of innate immunity implies the existence of numerous undiscovered innate immunomodulators, particularly transcription factors. In this study, we have identified a <em>Drosophila</em> C2H2 zinc finger protein <em>CG18262</em>, named Immune-mediated Zinc Finger protein (<em>IMZF</em>), capable of suppressing immune responses of Imd pathway. Mechanistically, <em>IMZF</em> serves as a transcription factor that represses the expression of <em>Imd</em> and <em>Tak1</em>. Intriguingly, our findings also reveal that Relish, an NF-κB transcription factor, positively regulates the expression of <em>IMZF</em>, consequently inhibiting the activation of <em>Imd</em> and <em>Tak1</em> to prevent an exaggerated immune response. Additionally, we have elucidated the pivotal role played by the Relish-<em>IMZF</em>-<em>Imd</em>/<em>Tak1</em> axis in restoring immune homeostasis of <em>Drosophila</em> Imd pathway. In summary, our findings not only unveil a novel C2H2 zinc finger immunoregulatory transcription factor, <em>IMZF</em>, along with its specific mechanism of immune regulation, but also shed light on the dual functionality of Relish in different stages of the immune response by modulating distinct effectors. This discovery provides new insights and enlightenment into the complex regulation of <em>Drosophila</em> innate immunity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 104138"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140955218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Androcin 18−1, a novel scorpion-venom peptide, shows a potent antitumor activity against human U87 cells via inducing mitochondrial dysfunction","authors":"Kai Wang ,&nbsp;Tienthanh Nguyen ,&nbsp;Yihan Gao ,&nbsp;Ruiyin Guo ,&nbsp;Chaofan Fan ,&nbsp;Hang Liao ,&nbsp;Jiali Li ,&nbsp;Jinwei Chai ,&nbsp;Xueqing Xu ,&nbsp;Yuxin Gong ,&nbsp;Xin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Scorpion venom is a potent natural source for antitumor drug development due to the multiple action modes of anticancer components. Although the sequence of Androcin 18−1 has been identified from the transcriptome profile of the scorpion venom <em>Androctonus bicolor</em>, its bioactivity remains unclear. In this study, we described the antitumor mechanism whereby Androcin 18−1 inhibits the proliferation and induces apoptosis by inducing cell membrane disruption, ROS accumulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction in human U87 glioblastoma cells. Moreover, Androcin 18−1 could suppress cell migration via the mechanisms associated with cytoskeleton disorganization and MMPs/TIMPs expression regulation. The discovery of this work highlights the potential application of Androcin 18−1 in drug development for glioblastoma treatment.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 104137"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140955216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of an agmatine N-acetyltransferase from Bactrocera dorsalis that modulates ovary development","authors":"Fei-yue Teng,&nbsp;Ji-mei Feng,&nbsp;Fu-cai Ma,&nbsp;Zhuo-xin Wang,&nbsp;Yong-yue Lu,&nbsp;Yi-xiang Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agmatine N-acetyltransferase (AgmNAT), which catalyzes the formation of N-acetylagmatine from acetyl-CoA and agmatine, is a member of the GCN5-related N-acetyltransferase family. So far, knowledge of the physiological roles of AgmNAT in insects is limited. Here, we identified one gene encoding protein homologous to that of <em>Drosophila AgmNAT</em> using sequence information from an activity-verified <em>Drosophila AgmNAT</em> in a BLAST search of the <em>Bactrocera dorsalis</em> genome. We expressed and purified <em>B. dorsalis</em> AgmNAT in <em>Escherichia coli</em> and used the purified enzyme to define the substrate specificity for acyl-CoA and amine substrates. Our application of the screening strategy to BdorAgmNAT led to the identification of agmatine as the best amine substrate for this enzyme, with the highest k_cat/K_m value. We successfully obtained a <em>BdorAgmNAT</em> knockout strain based on a wild-type strain (WT) using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. The ovary development of the <em>BdorAgmNAT</em> knockout mutants was delayed for 10 days compared with the WT specimens. Moreover, mutants had a much smaller mature ovary size and laid far fewer eggs than WT. Loss of function of <em>BdorAgmNAT</em> caused by RNAi with mature WT females did not affect their fecundity. These findings indicate that BdorAgmNAT is critical for oogenesis. Our data provide the first evidence for AgmNAT in regulating ovary development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 104130"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140907660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deorphanizing an odorant receptor tuned to palm tree volatile esters in the Asian palm weevil sheds light on the mechanisms of palm tree selection","authors":"Binu Antony ,&nbsp;Nicolas Montagné ,&nbsp;Arthur Comte ,&nbsp;Sara Mfarrej ,&nbsp;Jernej Jakše ,&nbsp;Rémi Capoduro ,&nbsp;Rajan Shelke ,&nbsp;Khasim Cali ,&nbsp;Mohammed Ali AlSaleh ,&nbsp;Krishna Persaud ,&nbsp;Arnab Pain ,&nbsp;Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104129","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104129","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Asian palm weevil, <em>Rhynchophorus ferrugineus</em>, is a tremendously important agricultural pest primarily adapted to palm trees and causes severe destruction, threatening sustainable palm cultivation worldwide. The host plant selection of this weevil is mainly attributed to the functional specialization of odorant receptors (ORs) that detect palm-derived volatiles. Yet, ligands are known for only two ORs of <em>R. ferrugineus</em>, and we still lack information on the mechanisms of palm tree detection. This study identified a highly expressed antennal <em>R. ferrugineus</em> OR, RferOR2, thanks to newly generated transcriptomic data. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that RferOR2 belongs to the major coleopteran OR group 2A and is closely related to a sister clade containing an <em>R. ferrugineus</em> OR (RferOR41) tuned to the non-host plant volatile and antagonist, α-pinene. Functional characterization of RferOR2 via heterologous expression in <em>Drosophila</em> olfactory neurons revealed that this receptor is tuned to several ecologically relevant palm-emitted odors, most notably ethyl and methyl ester compounds, but not to any of the pheromone compounds tested, including the <em>R. ferrugineus</em> aggregation pheromone. We did not evidence any differential expression of RferOR2 in the antennae of both sexes, suggesting males and females detect these compounds equally. Next, we used the newly identified RferOR2 ligands to demonstrate that including synthetic palm ester volatiles as single compounds and in combinations in pheromone-based mass trapping has a synergistic attractiveness effect to <em>R. ferrugineus</em> aggregation pheromone, resulting in significantly increased weevil catches. Our study identified a key OR from a palm weevil species tuned to several ecologically relevant palm volatiles and represents a significant step forward in understanding the chemosensory mechanisms of host detection in palm weevils. Our study also defines RferOR2 as an essential model for exploring the molecular basis of host detection in other palm weevil species. Finally, our work showed that insect OR deorphanization could aid in identifying novel behaviorally active volatiles that can interfere with weevil host-searching behavior in sustainable pest management applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104129"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140849574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}