Yang Wenxu, Ye Chenxu, Wang Lu, Nie Jinjuan, Liu Xinyi, Zhang Tiange, Zhang Wenxiu, Saba Noor Us, Yin Lingfang, Xing Lianxi, Su Xiaohong
College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.
College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.
Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2025 Jan;176:104211. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104211. Epub 2024 Nov 12.
As eusocial insects prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, termites are characterized by highly organized behaviors and exceptional adaptability, rooted in caste differentiation and chemical communication. These traits make them excellent models for studying insect social structures and ecological interactions. Investigating how termites use chemical signals to perceive and respond to their environment provides insights into their coordination and adaptation within complex ecosystems. This study delved into the chemosensory mechanisms of Reticulitermes aculabialis, examining the interactions of four olfactory proteins with 70 ligands, including host volatiles, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), and free fatty acids (FFAs). Molecular docking simulations revealed varied affinities of the olfactory proteins for long-chain hydrocarbons (n-C to n-C), suggesting a nuanced chemical communication system through specific hydrocarbon detection. RacuCSP1 and RacuCSP2 exhibited specific binding to linoleic acid and undecanoic acid, respectively, highlighting the significance of FFAs in the physiological and behavioral processes of termites. The four olfactory proteins showed a strong affinity for longifolene in fluorescence competitive binding experiments. Notably, RacuOBPs exhibited unique affinities for terpenoid volatiles such as β-lonone and neocembrene, while RacuCSPs specifically bound with terpenoids like 3-carene, myrtenol, α-pinene oxide and β-pinene indicating their critical roles in host detection. Behavioral observations following gene silencing revealed that RacuOBP5 was essential for recognizing longifolene and α-lonone recognition, while RacuCSP1 was key for detecting α-pinene in termites. These findings enhance our understanding of the termite chemosensory system and offer insights for developing precise pest management strategies.
作为热带和亚热带地区普遍存在的群居昆虫，白蚁具有高度有组织的行为和非凡的适应性，其根源在于种姓分化和化学通讯。这些特性使它们成为研究昆虫社会结构和生态相互作用的优秀模型。研究白蚁如何利用化学信号感知和响应环境，有助于深入了解它们在复杂生态系统中的协调和适应能力。本研究深入探究了尖唇散白蚁的化学感应机制，研究了四种嗅觉蛋白与70种配体的相互作用，这些配体包括宿主挥发物、表皮碳氢化合物（CHCs）和游离脂肪酸（FFAs）。分子对接模拟显示，嗅觉蛋白对长链碳氢化合物（n-C至n-C）具有不同的亲和力，这表明通过特定碳氢化合物检测存在一个细微的化学通讯系统。RacuCSP1和RacuCSP2分别对亚油酸和十一烷酸表现出特异性结合，突出了游离脂肪酸在白蚁生理和行为过程中的重要性。在荧光竞争结合实验中，这四种嗅觉蛋白对长叶烯表现出很强的亲和力。值得注意的是，RacuOBPs对β-紫罗兰酮和新雪松烯等萜类挥发物表现出独特的亲和力，而RacuCSPs则与3-蒈烯、桃金娘醇、α-蒎烯氧化物和β-蒎烯等萜类化合物特异性结合，表明它们在宿主检测中起关键作用。基因沉默后的行为观察表明，RacuOBP5对于识别长叶烯和α-紫罗兰酮至关重要，而RacuCSP1是白蚁检测α-蒎烯的关键。这些发现增进了我们对白蚁化学感应系统的理解，并为制定精确的害虫管理策略提供了见解。
