title: A reference gene set for sex pheromone biosynthesis and degradation genes from the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, based on genome and transcriptome digital gene expression analyses.
abstract: Female moths synthesize species-specific sex pheromone components and release them to attract male moths, which depend on precise sex pheromone chemosensory system to locate females. Two types of genes involved in the sex pheromone biosynthesis and degradation pathways play essential roles in this important moth behavior. To understand the function of genes in the sex pheromone pathway, this study investigated the genome-wide and digital gene expression of sex pheromone biosynthesis and degradation genes in various adult tissues in the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, which is a notorious vegetable pest worldwide.
  
  
  
  A massive transcriptome data (at least 39.04 Gb) was generated by sequencing 6 adult tissues including male antennae, female antennae, heads, legs, abdomen and female pheromone glands from DBM by using Illumina 4000 next-generation sequencing and mapping to a published DBM genome. Bioinformatics analysis yielded a total of 89,332 unigenes among which 87 transcripts were putatively related to seven gene families in the sex pheromone biosynthesis pathway. Among these, seven [two desaturases (DES), three fatty acyl-CoA reductases (FAR) one acetyltransferase (ACT) and one alcohol dehydrogenase (AD)] were mainly expressed in the pheromone glands with likely function in the three essential sex pheromone biosynthesis steps: desaturation, reduction, and esterification. We also identified 210 odorant-degradation related genes (including sex pheromone-degradation related genes) from seven major enzyme groups. Among these genes, 100 genes are new identified and two aldehyde oxidases (AOXs), one aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), five carboxyl/cholinesterases (CCEs), five UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs), eight cytochrome P450 (CYP) and three glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) displayed more robust expression in the antennae, and thus are proposed to participate in the degradation of sex pheromone components and plant volatiles.
  
  
  
  To date, this is the most comprehensive gene data set of sex pheromone biosynthesis and degradation enzyme related genes in DBM created by genome- and transcriptome-wide identification, characterization and expression profiling. Our findings provide a basis to better understand the function of genes with tissue enriched expression. The results also provide information on the genes involved in sex pheromone biosynthesis and degradation, and may be useful to identify potential gene targets for pest control strategies by disrupting the insect-insect communication using pheromone-based behavioral antagonists.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China. phe1@gzu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2934-0044
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yun-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The High Educational Key Laboratory of Guizhou Province for Natural Medicinal Pharmacology and Druggability, Guizhou Medical University, Huaxi university town, Guian new district, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Duan-Yang
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xing-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Agriculture Economic and Rural Development, RENMIN University of China, Beijing, 100872, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Guizhou Grass Jelly Biotechnology Company Limited, Chishui, Zhunyi, 564700, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xian-Fu
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei-Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China. hmher@126.com.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015723:Gene Library; D049750:Genome, Insect; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D012724:Sex Attractants; D012313:RNA
keywords: Aldehyde oxidase; Carboxyl/Cholinesterase; Desaturase; Detoxification; Fatty acyl reductase; Pheromone-biosynthesis enzymes; Pheromone-degrading enzymes