D3382: Identification of odorant receptors responding to sex pheromones in Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

In moths, sex pheromones secreted by the female adults are recognized by male ones with their antennae, thereby inducing mating behavior. In this study, to understand the recognition of sex pheromones in Maruca vitrata, odorant receptors (ORs) were identified from the antennal transcriptome of male adults. Approximately, 11.1Gb of data were obtained, and 91 ORs were found. Among these genes, four ORs (MviOR49, MviOR56, MviOR70, and MviOR75) showed relatively higher expression levels in the male antennae. These four MviOR genes were expressed at all developmental stages, and the expression level was the highest in male adults. In tissue-specific expression of adults, four OR genes were only expressed in the antennae and head. Through in vitro heterologous expression in HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) cell line, it was confirmed that the cells transfected with each MviOR responded to the sex pheromones of M. vitrata and induced significant calcium influx. These results show that four MviORs are involved in sex pheromone chemoreception in M. vitrata, and can be used as new pest control targets.