Olfactory receptors are believed to play a central role in insects host-seeking, mating, and ovipositing. On the basis of male and female antennal transcriptome of adult Apolygus lucorum, a total of 110 candidate A. lucorum odorant receptors (AlucOR) were identified in this study including five previously annotated AlucORs. All the sequences were validated by cloning and sequencing. Tissue expression profiles analysis by RT-PCR indicated most AlucORs were antennal highly expressed genes. The qPCR measurements further revealed 40 AlucORs were significantly higher in the antennae. One AlucOR was primarily expressed in the female antennae, while nine AlucORs exhibited male-biased expression patterns. Additionally, both the RPKM value and RT-qPCR analysis showed AlucOR83 and AlucOR21 were much higher abundant in male antennae than in female antennae, suggesting their different roles in chemoreception of gender. Phylogenetic analysis of ORs from several Hemipteran species demonstrated that most AlucORs had orthologous genes, and five AlucOR-specific clades were defined. In addition, a sub-clade of potential male-based sex pheromone receptors were also identified in the phylogenetic tree of AlucORs. Our results will facilitate the functional studies of AlucORs, and thereby provide a foundation for novel pest management approaches based on these genes.

Six julichrome derivatives including a new monomeric julichrome named as julichrome Q 10 (1), and previous reported julichrome Q 6 (2), julichrome Q 6.6 (4), julichrome Q 3.5 (5), julichrome Q 5.6 (6), julichrome Q 2.3 (7), along with a diketopiperazine gliotoxin (3) were isolated from a soil Streptomyces sp. The structures of these compounds were identified by HR-ESI-MS, UV, IR and NMR methods. The isolated compounds were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human hepatocarcinoma HepG-2 and SMMC-7721 cell lines, human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, and human normal heptical LO2 cell line.Among the compounds, gliotoxin (3) showed the most cytotoxic activity against the tested tumor cell lines, with IC 50 values ranging from 0.11 to 1.45 μM. Julichrome Q 6.6 (4) displayed selective cytotoxic activity against SMMC-7721, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines.

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