title: Chemosensory genes identified in the antennal transcriptome of the blowfly Calliphora stygia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blowflies have relevance in areas of forensic science, agriculture, and medicine, primarily due to the ability of their larvae to develop on flesh. While it is widely accepted that blowflies rely heavily on olfaction for identifying and locating hosts, there is limited research regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms. Using next generation sequencing (Illumina), this research examined the antennal transcriptome of Calliphora stygia (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to identify members of the major chemosensory gene families necessary for olfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Representative proteins from all chemosensory gene families essential in insect olfaction were identified in the antennae of the blowfly C. stygia, including 50 odorant receptors, 22 ionotropic receptors, 21 gustatory receptors, 28 odorant binding proteins, 4 chemosensory proteins, and 3 sensory neuron membrane proteins. A total of 97 candidate cytochrome P450s and 39 esterases, some of which may act as odorant degrading enzymes, were also identified. Importantly, co-receptors necessary for the proper function of ligand-binding receptors were identified. Putative orthologues for the conserved antennal ionotropic receptors and candidate gustatory receptors for carbon dioxide detection were also amongst the identified proteins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research provides a comprehensive novel resource that will be fundamental for future studies regarding blowfly olfaction. Such information presents potential benefits to the forensic, pest control, and medical areas, and could assist in the understanding of insecticide resistance and targeted control through cross-species comparisons.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Forensic Studies, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia. olivia.leitch@gmail.com.|CSIRO Division of Ecosystem Sciences and Food Futures Flagship, Canberra, Australia. olivia.leitch@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Leitch
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, Canberra, Australia. alexie@butterflybase.org.|Current Address: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, Australia. alexie@butterflybase.org.
authors.forename: Alexie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papanicolaou
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Forensic Studies, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia. c.lennard@uws.edu.au.|Current Address: School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, Australia. c.lennard@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lennard
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia. paul.kirkbride@flinders.edu.au.
authors.forename: K Paul
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Kirkbride
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Division of Ecosystem Sciences and Food Futures Flagship, Canberra, Australia. alisha.anderson@csiro.au.
authors.forename: Alisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D057506:Arthropod Antennae / Q000378:metabolism*; D004175:Diptera / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D049750:Genome, Insect; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012903:Smell / Q000235:genetics; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018035:Receptors, Odorant