Insect Science (2021) 28, 1354-1368

Yue-Nan Zhou, Shuang Xie, Jia-Ni Chen, Ze-Hua Wang, Pei Yang, Si-Cong Zhou, Lan Pang, Fei Li, Min Shi, Jian-Hua Huang and Xue-Xin Chen (2021)
Expression and functional characterization of odorant-binding protein genes in the endoparasitic wasp Cotesia vestalis
Insect Science 28 (5), 1354-1368
Abstract: Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are crucial in insect's olfactory perception, which participate in the initial step of odorant molecules transporting from the external environment to olfactory receptor neurons. To better understand the roles for OBPs in olfactory perception in Cotesia vestalis, a solitary larval endoparasitoid of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, we have comprehensively screened the genome of C. vestalis, and obtained 20 CvesOBPs, including 18 classic OBPs and two minus-C OBPs. Motif-pattern analysis indicates that the motifs of C. vestalis OBPs are highly conserved in Hymenoptera. The results of tissue expression analysis show that five OBPs (CvesOBP1/11/12/14/16) are highly expressed in male antennae, whereas six other OBP genes (CvesOBP7/8/13/17/18/19) are significantly transcriptionally enriched in female antennae. The results of RNA interference experiments for three most highly expressed OBP genes (CvesOBP17/18/19) in female antennae demonstrate that they are likely involved in parasitic processes of female wasps, as the wasps take a longer time to target the hosts when they are knocked down.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Xue-Xin Chen

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Plutella xylostella
Cotesia vestalis (parasitoid)	Plutella xylostella