Liu Xueting, Ma Shuwei, Zhang Xinxue, Li Xue, Nie Lei, Wang Guobao
College of Biology and Oceanography, Weifang University, No.5147 Dongfeng East Street, Weifang, 261061, China.
Shandong Sericulture Research Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yantai, 264002, China.
BMC Genomics. 2025 May 19;26(1):499. doi: 10.1186/s12864-025-11698-4.
In insects, the olfactory system governs physiological and behavioral processes by detecting various odorous molecules. Despite its economic importance and adaptability, the olfactory mechanism of Antheraea pernyi remains insufficiently understood, limiting its potential for pest management and as a model organism. Hence, we aimed to conduct transcriptome sequencing to explore olfactory-related genes in the antennae, serving as the most important olfactory organ in adult A. pernyi.
Based on the datasets, 1184 differently expressed genes (DEGs), including 484 upregulated and 700 downregulated genes, were identified by comparing the transcriptome profiles of the male and female antennae of A. pernyi. Moreover, 20, 7, 30, 11, and 2 candidate genes encoding odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), chemosensory proteins (CSPs), odorant receptors (ORs), ionotropic receptors (IRs), and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), respectively, involved in pheromone perception, odor binding, pesticide resistance, and growth and development regulation were screened, and most of which were expressed in both male and female antennae while the expression levels of these candidate genes varied significantly between males and females. Multiple sequence alignment indicated that the six OBPs exhibited typical characteristics, containing six conserved Cys residues with the sequence of C1-X-C2-X-C3-X-C4-X-C5-X-C6. All CSPs followed a highly conserved pattern with four Cys residues arranged with an exact spacing of C1-X-C2-X-C3-X-C4. Different numbers of transmembrane domains were found in ORs, IRs, and SNMPs. In addition, several DEGs involve signal transduction underlying chemoreception were also identified from the transcriptome data, including guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein), cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), calmodulin-A (CaM-A), mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), and phospholipase D2 (PLD2).
This study enriches the olfactory gene database of A. pernyi, providing insights into olfactory mechanisms crucial for mating and pest control, with implications for enhancing breeding strategies and ensuring the sustainability of the silk industry. These findings may serve as a theoretical foundation for a better understanding of the olfactory mechanisms of A. pernyi.
在昆虫中，嗅觉系统通过检测各种气味分子来调控生理和行为过程。尽管柞蚕具有经济重要性和适应性，但其嗅觉机制仍未得到充分了解，这限制了其在害虫管理和作为模式生物方面的潜力。因此，我们旨在进行转录组测序，以探索柞蚕成虫最重要的嗅觉器官触角中的嗅觉相关基因。
基于数据集，通过比较柞蚕雌雄触角的转录组图谱，鉴定出1184个差异表达基因（DEG），其中包括484个上调基因和700个下调基因。此外，分别筛选出20、7、30、11和2个参与信息素感知、气味结合、抗药性以及生长发育调控的编码气味结合蛋白（OBP）、化学感受蛋白（CSP）、气味受体（OR）、离子型受体（IR）和感觉神经元膜蛋白（SNMP）的候选基因，其中大多数在雌雄触角中均有表达，但这些候选基因的表达水平在雌雄之间存在显著差异。多序列比对表明，六个OBP具有典型特征，包含六个保守的半胱氨酸残基，序列为C1-X-C2-X-C3-X-C4-X-C5-X-C6。所有CSP都遵循高度保守的模式，有四个半胱氨酸残基，排列方式为C1-X-C2-X-C3-X-C4。在OR、IR和SNMP中发现了不同数量的跨膜结构域。此外，还从转录组数据中鉴定出一些参与化学感受信号转导的DEG，包括鸟嘌呤核苷酸结合蛋白（G蛋白）、环鸟苷酸依赖性蛋白激酶（PKA）、钙调蛋白-A（CaM-A）、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶1（MAPK1）和磷脂酶D2（PLD2）。
本研究丰富了柞蚕的嗅觉基因数据库，为交配和害虫控制的关键嗅觉机制提供了见解，对加强育种策略和确保丝绸产业的可持续性具有重要意义。这些发现可为更好地理解柞蚕的嗅觉机制提供理论基础。
