Identification of chemosensory genes by antennal transcriptome analysis and expression profiles of odorant-binding proteins in parasitoid wasp Aulacocentrum confusum

• Published in: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part D, Genomics & proteomics Genomics & proteomics, 2021-12, Vol.40, p.100881-100881, Article 100881
• Main Authors: Li, Yi-jiangcheng, Chen, Hong-chao, Hong, Tian-le, Yan, Meng-wen, Wang, Jiao, Shao, Zuo-min, Wu, Fu-an, Sheng, Sheng, Wang, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antennal transcriptome; Arthropod Antennae - metabolism; Aulacocentrum confusum; Carrier Proteins; Chemosensory genes; Expression patterns; Gene Expression Profiling; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Moths - metabolism; Odorants; Parasitic wasp; Phylogeny; Receptors, Odorant - genetics; Receptors, Odorant - metabolism; Transcriptome; Wasps - genetics
• ISSN: 1744-117X; 1878-0407
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2021.100881

The endoparasitoid wasp, Aulacocentrum confusum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is a preponderant natural enemy of the larvae of Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), which is a destructive pest of mulberry trees. We first constructed the antennal transcriptome database of A. confusum. In total, we obtained 48,262,304 clean reads from the dataset and assembled 24,324 unigenes. A total of 12,690 (52.17%) unigenes indicated significant similarity (E-value < 10−5) compared to known protein sequences of other species from the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Gene ontology (GO) and cluster of orthologous groups (COG) analyses were used to determine the functional categories of these genes. A total of 84 putative chemosensory genes were identified from the antennal transcriptome of A. confusum, including 11 putative odorant-binding protein (OBP) genes, six chemosensory protein (CSP) genes, 44 olfactory receptor (OR) genes (including one olfactory co-receptor, Orco), 19 ionotropic receptor (IR) genes, and four sensory neuron membrane protein (SNMP) genes. Results of qPCR assays indicated that among of 11 AconOBPs, nine AconOBP genes were significantly expressed in the antennae of A. confusum adults. AconOBP8 was significantly expressed in the abdomen and AconOBP10 was highly expressed in the thorax. These findings can build a basis for further study on the processes of chemosensory perception in A. confusum at the molecular level. [Display omitted] •We constructed the antennal transcriptome of parasitiod Aulacocentrum confusum.•A total of 84 chemosensory genes were identified from the transcriptome dataset.•Nine OBPs were highly expressed in the antennae of Aulacocentrum confusum adults.•This work provides insight for studies on the mechanisms of olfactory perception.