Molecular Characterization and Differential Expression of an Olfactory Receptor Gene Family in the White-Backed Planthopper Sogatella furcifera Based on Transcriptome Analysis

PLoS One. 2015 Nov 5;10(11):e0140605. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140605. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera, a notorious rice pest in Asia, employs host plant volatiles as cues for host location. In insects, odor detection is mediated by two types of olfactory receptors: odorant receptors (ORs) and ionotropic receptors (IRs). In this study, we identified 63 SfurORs and 14 SfurIRs in S. furcifera based on sequences obtained from the head transcriptome and bioinformatics analysis. The motif-pattern of 130 hemiptera ORs indicated an apparent differentiation in this order. Phylogenetic trees of the ORs and IRs were constructed using neighbor-joining estimates. Most of the ORs had orthologous genes, but a specific OR clade was identified in S. furcifera, which suggests that these ORs may have specific olfactory functions in this species. Our results provide a basis for further investigations of how S. furcifera coordinates its olfactory receptor genes with its plant hosts, thereby providing a foundation for novel pest management approaches based on these genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Genes, Insect / genetics
  • Hemiptera / genetics*
  • Phylogeny
  • Receptors, Odorant / genetics*
  • Receptors, Odorant / physiology

Substances

  • Receptors, Odorant

Grants and funding

Support was provided by Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31360528 and 31401750 for PH), Natural Science Foundation of Guizhou Province of China (Grant No. QKH-J [2014]2062 for PH), Scientific Research Foundation of Guizhou University, China (RJH Project Grant No. 2013-28 for PH), Brainstorm Project on Social Development by Department of Science and Technology of Guizhou Province (Grant No. SY [2010]3004 for MH), and Science and Technology Project of Guizhou Province (QKH Major Project Grant No. (2012) 6012 for MH). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.