Insect Antenna-Based Biosensors for In Situ Detection of Volatiles

Abstract

Insect antennae are among the most sensitive and selective chemical-sensing organs in the animal kingdom. Insects can perceive picograms of specific volatile organic compounds per cubic meter of air in milliseconds, which is far below the detection thresholds of current analytical devices. These exceptional sensing abilities have many uses in the context of insect biotechnology. Living specimens or parts of them, such as isolated antennae or individual proteins, can serve as biosensors in the field. As volatiles occur in a crude mixture in the environment, knowing which trigger-volatiles are crucial for the insects' perception of specific incidents is of great value. This knowledge promotes the development of selective sensors for applications, such as fire detection. In this chapter, we discuss the different technical procedures for the preparation and use of insect-based biosensors for the detection of organic volatiles, including those based on insect behavior, insect olfactory proteins, and biomimetic sensing units. We also consider the use of these applications in portable devices outside the laboratory under field conditions.

Behavioural, physiological and molecular changes in alloparental caregivers may be responsible for selection response for female reproductive investment in honey bees

“…Breeding efforts for hygienic honey bees have also increased olfactory sensitivity of the antennae to discriminate diseased from healthy brood (Guarna et al, 2015), lowering their response thresholds (Masterman et al, 2001). Together, studies in honey bees support the central role of the insect antenna for behavioural tuning and rapid evolutionary change (Leal, 2013;Schott et al, 2013) but we cannot rule out additional differences in the central nervous system.…”

“…The electrophysiological responses of the antenna to β-ocimene and allo-ocimene are higher in RJBs than ITBs, particularly at lower concentrations. The low doses are significant because they are closer to biologically relevant concentrations (Schott, Wehrenfennig, Gasch, & Vilcinskas, 2013), even though higher concentrations were required for a significant response in our laboratory attraction assay.…”

Cycle‐Characteristic Odour of Cow Urine Can Be Detected by the Female Face Fly (Musca autumnalis)

“…This could open the possibility to develop biosensors for oestrus detection based on insect antennal responses (Schott et al. ).…”

“…This could open the possibility to develop biosensors for oestrus detection based on insect antennal response (Schott et al. ). These may be based on olfactory receptor neurons, excised antennae or intact, live insects.…”

Olfactory biosensor for insect semiochemicals analysis by impedance sensing of odorant-binding proteins on interdigitated electrodes

“…Among the thousands insects species, most of them have an enormous impact on global agriculture as pests and on public health as disease vectors. Adapted to an ever changing chemosensory world for survival, except for optesthesia, their specialized olfaction was highly evolved to sensitively and specifically detect semiochemicals in the natural world (Carey and Carlson, 2011;Clifford and Riffell, 2013;Schott et al, 2013).…”