A candidate aldehyde oxidase in the antennae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is potentially involved in the degradation of pheromones, plant-derived volatiles and the detoxification of xenobiotics.

Insect antennae play a fundamental role in perceiving and recognizing a broad spectrum of conventional semiochemicals and host plant-derived odors. As such, genes that are tightly associated with the antennae are thought to have olfactory-related roles related to signal transduction mechanisms. Several mechanisms suggest that enzymatic inactivation could contribute to the signal termination process, such as odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs). To date, a few ODEs have been identified and characterized in detail in insect herbivores, but little is known about aldehyde oxidases (AOXs); moreover, direct in vivo experimental evidence is needed. AOXs are a major family of metabolic enzymes that oxidize a variety of aromatic aldehydes, and they may also play a significant role in detoxification and degradation of environmental chemical cues. Here, we report on the identification and characterization of a novel cDNA encoding the putative odorant-degrading enzyme, PxylAOX3, from the antennae of the diamondback moth, (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). The purified recombinant protein showed a wide-range of substrate zymography oxidizing both sex pheromone compounds as well as plant-derived aldehydes with distinct activities. Our data suggest PxylAOX3 might be involved in the degradation of many structurally diverse aldehyde odorants. Furthermore, PxylAOX3 could participate in olfactory neuron protection by inactivation of redundant odorants and xenobiotic detoxification, making it a potential target for pesticide development as well.