Sex pheromones and olfactory proteins in Antheraea moths: A. pernyi and A. polyphemus (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Abstract

Olfaction is essential for regulating the physiological and behavioral actions of insects with specific recognition of various odors. Antheraea moths (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) possess relatively large bodies and antennae so that they are good subjects for exploring molecular aspects of insect olfaction. Current knowledge of the molecular aspects of Antheraea olfaction is focused on the Chinese tussah silkmoth A. pernyi Guérin‐Méneville and another species A. polyphemus (Cramer) in their pheromones, odorant‐binding proteins (OBPs), odorant receptors (ORs), odorant receptor coreceptors (ORCOs), sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), and odorant‐degrading enzymes (ODEs). The first insect OBP, SNMP, and ODE were identified from A. polyphemus. This review summarizes the principal findings associated with the olfactory physiology and its molecular components in the two Antheraea species. Three types of olfactory neurons may have specific ORs for three respective sex‐pheromone components, with the functional sensitivity and specificity mediated by three respective OBPs. SNMPs and ODEs are likely to play important roles in sex‐pheromone detection, inactivation, and degradation. Identification and functional analysis of the olfactory molecules remain to be further performed in A. pernyi, A. polyphemus, and other Antheraea species.

Systematic analysis of olfactory protein–protein interactions network of fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster

“…Based on homology with CD36, DmelSnmp2 might serve as transporters and receptors for lipids and lipid‐protein complexes and contribute to removing lipophilic odors in sensory lymph (Strotmann & Breer, 2011). Li et al (2020) suggested that SNMPs are likely to contribute to sex‐pheromone detection, inactivation, and degradation together with ODEs. However, the recent study revealed that the ortholog of DmelSNMP2 is BmorSNMP3 , which was expressed in larval midguts and may be involved in the immunity response to the virus and bacterial infections (Xu et al, 2021).…”

Genetic mechanisms modulating behaviour through plastic chemosensory responses in insects

“…For instance, within hymenopterans, the number of orthologues ranges from six (Yang et al, 2017 ) to 54 (Nie et al, 2018a , 2018b ) and these OBP orthologues differ in how specifically they bind certain ligands; with pheromone binding OBPs typically being highly specific and OBPs binding environmental odours having multiple ligands (reviewed in Venthur & Zhou, 2018 ). Through this variation in specificity, OBPs influence how strongly a SN and thus, an individual, responds to different cues (Godoy et al, 2021 ; Li, Wang, & Zhang, 2020 ).…”

Exploring the proteins and metabolites associated with male antennae responses to female exposure of Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) moths

“…Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville, Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) is not only an important economic insect for silk production but also a rising Lepidoptera model organism with several advantages, such as the ease of rearing and experimental operation (Li et al 2016), and the adult moths have relatively large bodies and antennae, so that they are good subjects for exploring molecular aspects of insect olfaction. Although several PBPs have been identified in A. pernyi (Li et al 2020), there is still a lack of detailed reports on response mechanisms of male moths to female stimulation especially the related proteins and metabolites underlying the female pheromone signal transmission in the male antennae of A. pernyi . It has been investigated the mechanisms of multiple physiological and pathological processes in A. pernyi (Li et al 2016, Wang et al 2019a, 2019b) by HTS technologies.…”