Antennal Transcriptome Evaluation and Analysis for Odorant-Binding Proteins, Chemosensory Proteins, and Suitable Reference Genes in the Leaf Beetle Pest <i>Diorhabda rybakowi</i> Weise (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

Diorhabda rybakowi Weise is one of the dominant pests feeding on Nitraria spp., a pioneer plant used for windbreaking and sand fixation purposes, and poses a threat to local livestock and ecosystems. To clarify the key olfactory genes of D. rybakowi and provide a theoretical basis for attractant and repellent development, the optimal reference genes under two different conditions (tissue and sex) were identified, and the bioinformatics and characterization of the tissue expression profiles of two categories of soluble olfactory proteins (OBPs and CSPs) were investigated. The results showed that the best reference genes were RPL13a and RPS18 for comparison among tissues, and RPL19 and RPS18 for comparison between sexes. Strong expressions of DrybOBP3, DrybOBP6, DrybOBP7, DrybOBP10, DrybOBP11, DrybCSP2, and DrybCSP5 were found in antennae, the most important olfactory organ for D. rybakowi. These findings not only provide a basis for further in-depth research on the olfactory molecular mechanisms of host-specialized pests but also provide a theoretical basis for the future development of new chemical attractants or repellents using volatiles to control D. rybakowi.

Keywords

• <i>Diorhabda rybakowi</i>
• antennal transcriptome
• reference genes
• odorant-binding proteins
• chemosensory proteins
• RT-qPCR analysis