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PLoS Genet

Title:		Regulation of olfactory-based sex behaviors in the silkworm by genes in the sex-determination cascade
Author(s):		Xu J; Liu W; Yang D; Chen S; Chen K; Liu Z; Yang X; Meng J; Zhu G; Dong S; Zhang Y; Zhan S; Wang G; Huang Y;
Address:		"Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China. Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China. Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, United States of America"
Journal Title:		PLoS Genet
Year:		2020
Volume:		20200610
Issue:		6
Page Number:		e1008622 -
DOI:		10.1371/journal.pgen.1008622
ISSN/ISBN:		1553-7404 (Electronic) 1553-7390 (Print) 1553-7390 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Insect courtship and mating depend on integration of olfactory, visual, and tactile cues. Compared to other insects, Bombyx mori, the domesticated silkworm, has relatively simple sexual behaviors as it cannot fly. Here by using CRISPR/Cas9 and electrophysiological techniques we found that courtship and mating behaviors are regulated in male silk moths by mutating genes in the sex determination cascade belonging to two conserved pathways. Loss of Bmdsx gene expression significantly reduced the peripheral perception of the major pheromone component bombykol by reducing expression of the product of the BmOR1 gene which completely blocked courtship in adult males. Interestingly, we found that mating behavior was regulated independently by another sexual differentiation gene, Bmfru. Loss of Bmfru completely blocked mating, but males displayed normal courtship behavior. Lack of Bmfru expression significantly reduced the perception of the minor pheromone component bombykal due to the down regulation of BmOR3 expression; further, functional analysis revealed that loss of the product of BmOR3 played a key role in terminating male mating behavior. Our results suggest that Bmdsx and Bmfru are at the base of the two primary pathways that regulate olfactory-based sexual behavior"
Keywords:		"Animals Bombyx/*genetics/metabolism/physiology Female *Genes, Insect Male *Mating Preference, Animal Receptors, Pheromone/genetics/metabolism Sex Attractants/genetics/*metabolism Sex Determination Processes/*genetics Smell;"
Notes:		"MedlineXu, Jun Liu, Wei Yang, Dehong Chen, Shuqing Chen, Kai Liu, Zulian Yang, Xu Meng, Jing Zhu, Guanheng Dong, Shuanglin Zhang, Yong Zhan, Shuai Wang, Guirong Huang, Yongping eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2020/06/11 PLoS Genet. 2020 Jun 10; 16(6):e1008622. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008622. eCollection 2020 Jun"