Molecular and Functional Characterization of Three Odorant-Binding Protein from Periplaneta americana.

Abstract

The American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, is a vector of many pathogenic organisms associated with human diseases. Olfaction plays a crucial role in guiding cockroach behaviors and contributes to their ability to transmit pathogens. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs), abundant in the insect olfactory sensilla, are important for insect olfaction. In this study, three OBP genes, PameOBP1, 2 and 3, were cloned from P. americana. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that PameOBP1, 2 and 3 belong to the Minus-C OBP, Classic OBP, and Plus-C OBP subfamilies, respectively. Expression pattern and ligand-binding analysis showed that PameOBP1 and 2 were specifically expressed in antennae, and exhibited high binding affinities (Ki 40 μM) for all 87 ligands tested. Our study provides insights into the functional diversity of PameOBP genes and provides some volatiles that can potentially be used in behavioral interference of P. americana.