title: Diversity, abundance, and sex-specific expression of chemosensory proteins in the reproductive organs of the locust Locusta migratoria manilensis.
abstract: Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are small soluble proteins often associated with chemosensory organs in insects but include members involved in other functions, such as pheromone delivery and development. Although the CSPs of the sensory organs have been extensively studied, little is known on their functions in other parts of the body. A first screening of the available databases has identified 70 sequences encoding CSPs in the oriental locust Locusta migratoria manilensis. Applying proteomic analysis, we have identified 17 of them abundantly expressed in the female reproductive organs, but only one (CSP91) in male organs. Bacterially expressed CSP91 binds fatty acids with a specificity for oleic and linoleic acid, as well as medium-length alcohols and esters. The same acids have been detected as the main gas chromatographic peaks in the dichloromethane extracts of reproductive organs of both sexes. The abundance and the number of CSPs in female reproductive organs indicates important roles for these proteins. We cannot exclude that different functions can be associated with each of the 17 CSPs, including delivery of semiochemicals, solubilization of hormones, direct control of development, or other unknown tasks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Immacolata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iovinella
authors.forename: Li-Jing
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felicioli
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sagona
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pieraccini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pelosi
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Francesca Romana
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Dani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005835:Genitalia / Q000378:metabolism*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D048188:Locusta migratoria / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D040901:Proteomics; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins