| Title: | Gene Expression and Functional Analyses of Odorant Receptors in Small Hive Beetles (Aethina tumida) |
| Author(s): | Liu Y; Beaurepaire A; Rogers CW; Lopez D; Evans JD; Straub L; Neumann P; Cook SC; Huang Q; |
| Address: | "Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3097 Liebefeld, Bern, Switzerland. Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3097 Liebefeld, Bern, Switzerland. USDA-ARS Beltsville Bee Research Laboratory, Building 306, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Zhimin Avenue1101, Nanchang 330045, China" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1422-0067 (Electronic) 1422-0067 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Olfaction is key to many insects. Odorant receptors (ORs) stand among the key chemosensory receptors mediating the detection of pheromones and kairomones. Small hive beetles (SHBs), Aethina tumida, are parasites of social bee colonies and olfactory cues are especially important for host finding. However, how interactions with their hosts may have shaped the evolution of ORs in the SHB remains poorly understood. Here, for the first time, we analyzed the evolution of SHB ORs through phylogenetic and positive selection analyses. We then tested the expression of selected OR genes in antennae, heads, and abdomens in four groups of adult SHBs: colony odor-experienced/-naive males and females. The results show that SHBs experienced both OR gene losses and duplications, thereby providing a first understanding of the evolution of SHB ORs. Additionally, three candidate ORs potentially involved in host finding and/or chemical communication were identified. Significantly different downregulations of ORs between the abdomens of male and female SHBs exposed to colony odors may reflect that these expression patterns might also reflect other internal events, e.g., oviposition. Altogether, these results provide novel insights into the evolution of SHB ORs and provide a valuable resource for analyzing the function of key genes, e.g., for developing biological control. These results will also help in understanding the chemosensory system in SHBs and other beetles" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Arthropod Proteins/genetics/*metabolism Coleoptera/genetics/*metabolism Female *Gene Expression Regulation *Gene Regulatory Networks Male Phylogeny Receptors, Odorant/genetics/*metabolism invasive species odorant receptor olfaction;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineLiu, Yuanzhen Beaurepaire, Alexis Rogers, Curtis W Lopez, Dawn Evans, Jay D Straub, Lars Neumann, Peter Cook, Steven C Huang, Qiang eng 201708350098/China Scholarship Council/ Switzerland 2020/07/02 Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jun 27; 21(13):4582. doi: 10.3390/ijms21134582" |
