title: Identification and functional characterization of sex pheromone receptors in beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner).
abstract: In moths, males can detect a distinct blend of several pheromone components by specialized olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) on the antennae. Four candidate pheromone receptors (PR) with seven transmembrane domains were identified by homology cloning from the antennae of Spodoptera exigua (Sexi). Phylogenetic analyses reveal that all four odorant receptors (OR) belong to pheromone receptor subtypes. Expression patterns revealed that PRs were male-specific in the antenna except for SexiOR11, which was female antenna-biased. Functional analyses of these PRs were conducted using heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes. SexiOR13 and SexiOR16 were all broadly activated by multiple pheromone components. SexiOR13 responded robustly to the critical pheromone component, Z9, E12-14:OAc and the minor pheromone component, Z9-14:OAc at a concentration of 10(-4) M. Dose-response studies indicate that SexiOR13 was approximately 4 times more sensitive to Z9,E12-14:OAc (EC50 = 3.158 × 10(-6) M) compared to Z9-14:OAc (EC50 = 1.203 × 10(-5) M). While, SexiOR16 responded robustly to the secondary pheromone component Z9-14:OH with high sensitivity (EC50 = 9.690 × 10(-7) M). However, similar tests of the five pheromones with SexiOR6 and SexiOR11 failed to elicit any response. These results provide basic knowledge to further advance research on the molecular mechanisms of pheromone reception.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Chengcheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Shuanglin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Guirong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D057506:Arthropod Antennae / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010802:Phylogeny; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D043563:Receptors, Pheromone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D043563:Receptors, Pheromone
keywords: (Z)-9-tetradecenol; (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadienyl acetate; Pheromone receptor gene; Spodoptera exigua; Xenopus oocytes