title: Candidate chemosensory genes in the Stemborer Sesamia nonagrioides.
abstract: The stemborer Sesamia nonagrioides is an important pest of maize in the Mediterranean Basin. Like other moths, this noctuid uses its chemosensory system to efficiently interact with its environment. However, very little is known on the molecular mechanisms that underlie chemosensation in this species. Here, we used next-generation sequencing (454 and Illumina) on different tissues from adult and larvae, including chemosensory organs and female ovipositors, to describe the chemosensory transcriptome of S. nonagrioides and identify key molecular components of the pheromone production and detection systems. We identified a total of 68 candidate chemosensory genes in this species, including 31 candidate binding-proteins and 23 chemosensory receptors. In particular, we retrieved the three co-receptors Orco, IR25a and IR8a necessary for chemosensory receptor functioning. Focusing on the pheromonal communication system, we identified a new pheromone-binding protein in this species, four candidate pheromone receptors and 12 carboxylesterases as candidate acetate degrading enzymes. In addition, we identified enzymes putatively involved in S. nonagrioides pheromone biosynthesis, including a ∆11-desaturase and different acetyltransferases and reductases. RNAseq analyses and RT-PCR were combined to profile gene expression in different tissues. This study constitutes the first large scale description of chemosensory genes in S. nonagrioides.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR 1272, Physiologie de l'Insecte: Signalisation et Communication, route de Saint-Cyr, F-78026 Versailles cedex, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallot
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Legeai
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montagné
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poivet
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harry
authors.forename: Paul-André
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Calatayud
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacquin-Joly
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019295:Computational Biology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000235:genetics*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D043563:Receptors, Pheromone / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012903:Smell / Q000235:genetics*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D010675:Pheromones; D043563:Receptors, Pheromone
keywords: Sesamia nonagrioides.; chemosensory receptors; next-generation sequencing; pheromone biosynthesis; transcriptome