Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Danila Kolesov, Violetta O. Ivanova, Elena L. Sokolinskaya, Liubov A. Kost, Pavel M. Balaban, Konstantin A. Lukyanov, Evgeny S. Nikitin, Alexey M. Bogdanov
Summary: Insect odorant receptors have been suggested to function as ligand-gated cation channels with OrX/Orco heteromers. Different G proteins mediate the metabotropic activity of these receptors, providing insight into their natural and artificial tuning features for potential applications in chemogenetics, drug screening, and repellent design.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Xiao-Bin Fan, Bao-Tong Mo, Guo-Cheng Li, Ling-Qiao Huang, Hao Guo, Xin-Lin Gong, Chen-Zhu Wang
Summary: The results of this study indicate that odorant receptors (ORs) play an essential role in pheromone communication, oviposition selection, and larval chemotaxis of Helicoverpa armigera. Inhibiting or silencing the expression of the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) could disrupt mate searching and host-seeking behaviors of moth pests.
Article
Entomology
Jingtao Liu, Jiaoxin Xie, Adel Khashaveh, Jingjiang Zhou, Yongjun Zhang, Hui Dong, Bin Cong, Shaohua Gu
Summary: In this study, odorant receptor genes of the green peach aphid were identified and their phylogenetic relationship and genomic structure were analyzed. The results showed that the odorant receptors of the green peach aphid play an important role in chemical sensing and provide a foundation for investigating the interactions between aphids and hosts and natural enemies.
Article
Entomology
Basman H. Al-Jalely, Wei Xu
Summary: The study focused on the olfactory system of Trichogramma pretiosum, identifying 22 putative odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and 105 odorant receptors (ORs) using scanning electron microscopy to observe four types of olfactory sensilla. By examining the expression patterns of OBPs in male and female adults, three female-specific OBPs were identified, suggesting their crucial roles in host-seeking and oviposition behaviors. This research enriches our understanding of T. pretiosum olfactory genes and enhances our knowledge of its olfactory system.
Article
Ecology
Paul Vandroux, Zibo Li, Remi Capoduro, Marie-Christine Francois, Michel Renou, Nicolas Montagne, Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
Summary: Mate finding in moths relies on female-emitted sex pheromones, and plant volatiles can also influence their perception. Previous studies have shown that certain plant volatiles can activate the pheromone-specific detection pathway in moth species such as Agrotis ipsilon. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. In this study, researchers identified a receptor protein specific to the pheromone component (Z)7-12:OAc but not activated by plant volatiles, suggesting the presence of an unknown second odorant receptor protein that responds to plant volatiles in (Z)7-12:OAc-sensitive neurons of A. ipsilon.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Ningna Yin, Haiyan Xiao, Anjin Yang, Chun Wu, Naiyong Liu
Summary: This study investigates the correlation between host plant range and chemoreceptor gene repertoire sizes in Papilio butterflies. The results show that the breath of host plants does not appear to result in the obvious expansions of the odorant (ORs) and gustatory (GRs) receptors in Papilio butterflies. Additionally, candidate molecular targets associated with olfaction, oviposition, or reproduction in P. xuthus are identified.
Article
Ecology
Kalpana Jain, Regina Stieber, Sabine Kaltofen, Bill S. Hansson, Dieter Wicher
Summary: We generated a genetically modified fly line expressing Orco proteins fused with GFP at the N-terminus. The highest fluorescence intensity was observed in homozygous flies in the dendritic areas of olfactory sensory neurons. However, the fusion of GFP did not affect the olfactory capability of homozygous flies compared to wild-type flies, as determined by single sensillum recording.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Basman H. Al-Jalely, Penghao Wang, Yalin Liao, Wei Xu
Summary: This study conducted transcriptome sequencing on the antennae of male and female adult Diadegma semiclausum wasps, revealing differential expression of OBPs and ORs, providing important insights into the olfactory system of D. semiclausum.
BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
You Wang, Xingfei He, Liang Qiao, Zhengrong Yu, Bin Chen, Zhengbo He
Summary: This study successfully applied CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knock-in technology to achieve highly efficient, site-specific mutagenesis in Anopheles sinensis. The integration of the EGFP marker gene into the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) confirmed Orco as a key mediator of multiple olfactory-driven behaviors in the An. sinensis life cycle, emphasizing its importance as a key molecular target for malaria control. The results also demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9 is a simple and highly efficient genome editing technique for An. sinensis and could be utilized in developing genetic control tools for this vector.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Peng He, Yun-Feng Ma, Mei-Mei Wang, Hong Wang, Youssef Dewer, Nesreen M. Abd El-Ghany, Guang-Lei Chen, Gui-Qing Yang, Fan Zhang, Ming He
Summary: The German cockroach is one of the most severe pests in urban and rural areas with a powerful olfactory system. The study found that Orco plays a pivotal role in both sex pheromone and food-seeking olfactory processes, providing a potential genetic technique for pest control. The RNA interference effect on Orco showed significant behavioral changes in response to volatile sex pheromone and food resources.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patrick Marcinek, Franziska Haag, Christiane Geithe, Dietmar Krautwurst
Summary: Molecular recognition plays a key role in biological systems, and the study of pyrazines has led to the discovery of OR5K1 as a specialized olfactory receptor across mammals for the detection of pyrazine-based key food odors and semiochemicals, indicating the significance of ecological evolution.
Review
Entomology
Cassie Sims, Michael A. Birkett, David M. Withall
Summary: Insects use their sense of smell to detect odors and elicit behavioral responses. The roles of specific recognition proteins, odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and odorant receptors (ORs), in discriminating between structurally similar compounds in insects are not fully understood. Some insects can discriminate between mirror image structures of compounds, showing highly selective recognition. OBPs and ORs in insect olfaction have variable discrimination capabilities, with some displaying specialized binding activity and others exhibiting promiscuous binding activity. Further analysis, such as structural studies, is needed to understand how odorant-protein interactions induce a response in insects.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chunni Zhang, Bowen Tang, Haoyu Tan, Xinxiang Wang, Wu Dai
Summary: The Orco gene plays a crucial role in the recognition of host plant volatiles and sex pheromones in the chive maggot. Knockdown of the Orco gene significantly reduces the response of adults to host plant volatiles and affects mating behavior.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Weihong Liu, Yu Zheng, Chen Zhang, Lin Chen, Hanyi Zhuang, Guojun Yao, Hang Ren, Yingjian Liu
Summary: In this study, a biomimetic olfactory recognition system was developed to discriminate the aromas of Chinese liquors. By combining odorant receptors and machine learning, the system demonstrated high accuracy in differentiating liquors of different aroma types, brands, and ageing years. The interactions between liquor aroma compounds and odorant receptors were also elucidated, providing insights into odorant coding at the molecular level.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiu-Lin Chen, Bo-Liao Li, Yu-Xin Chen, Guang-Wei Li, Jun-Xiang Wu
Summary: This study investigated the expression pattern of GmolOrco in Grapholita molesta and its role in detecting sex pheromones and green leaf volatiles. The results showed that GmolOrco had the highest expression in adult antennae and played a different role in male and female moth adults. Gene silencing through RNAi resulted in reduced responses to specific chemicals, indicating the importance of GmolOrco in olfaction of G. molesta.
ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Neil J. Gemmell, Kim Rutherford, Stefan Prost, Marc Tollis, David Winter, J. Robert Macey, David L. Adelson, Alexander Suh, Terry Bertozzi, Jose H. Grau, Chris Organ, Paul P. Gardner, Matthieu Muffato, Mateus Patricio, Konstantinos Billis, Fergal J. Martin, Paul Flicek, Bent Petersen, Lin Kang, Pawel Michalak, Thomas R. Buckley, Melissa Wilson, Yuanyuan Cheng, Hilary Miller, Ryan K. Schott, Melissa D. Jordan, Richard D. Newcomb, Jose Ignacio Arroyo, Nicole Valenzuela, Tim A. Hore, Jaime Renart, Valentina Peona, Claire R. Peart, Vera M. Warmuth, Lu Zeng, R. Daniel Kortschak, Joy M. Raison, Valeria Velasquez Zapata, Zhiqiang Wu, Didac Santesmasses, Marco Mariotti, Roderic Guigo, Shawn M. Rupp, Victoria G. Twort, Nicolas Dussex, Helen Taylor, Hideaki Abe, Donna M. Bond, James M. Paterson, Daniel G. Mulcahy, Vanessa L. Gonzalez, Charles G. Barbieri, Dustin P. DeMeo, Stephan Pabinger, Tracey Van Stijn, Shannon Clarke, Oliver Ryder, Scott V. Edwards, Steven L. Salzberg, Lindsay Anderson, Nicola Nelson
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
April A. Jauhal, Richard D. Newcomb
Summary: The study found that while assemblies with high contig and scaffold N50 values tend to have high BUSCO scores, a high BUSCO score can also be achieved in assemblies with low N50 values. N50 is not a perfect proxy for all measures of genome accuracy, and assessing gene space in genome assemblies requires appropriate tools as well as reporting additional genome assessment metrics.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jamal Ahmed Cheema, Nihan Aydemir, Colm Carraher, Roshan Khadka, Damon Colbert, Harris T. Lin, Andrew Nelson, Andrew Kralicek, Jadranka Travas-Sejdic
Summary: This study presents an electrochemical sensing methodology using an insect odorant receptor (iOR) as the biological recognition element for detection of odorant compounds. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster's Or22a was used as a model receptor and shown to be functionally active towards its known ligand (ethyl hexanoate). The EIS sensor exhibited high sensitivity and specificity towards ethyl hexanoate with a detection limit of 5.5 fM, with neutron reflectometry studies providing evidence of conformational changes in the receptor upon ligand binding.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Chen Wu, Victoria G. Twort, Richard D. Newcomb, Thomas R. Buckley
Summary: The study found several meiotic genes duplicated in the New Zealand geographic parthenogenetic stick insect, some of which are rare or unique compared to other arthropods. These genes may play important roles in the evolution of reproductive mode.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julie E. Dalziel, Nick J. Spencer, Wayne Young
Summary: Sensory nerve endings in the gastrointestinal tract respond to bacterial signaling, affecting intestinal motility and microbial homeostasis through various receptors. Recent studies suggest that bacterial-derived microvesicles can impact gut motility, indicating a potential intercellular communication pathway between the GI tract and the enteric nervous system.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Tracey Bear, Julie Dalziel, Jane Coad, Nicole Roy, Christine Butts, Pramod Gopal
Summary: Research shows that stress resilience is influenced by various psychological and biological factors, including the gut microbiota. Stress can alter the gut microbiota, potentially contributing to stress-related changes in mood. Most of the existing research is based on animal models, with limited translational evidence from human clinical studies.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jamal Ahmed Cheema, Colm Carraher, Natalie O. V. Plank, Jadranka Travas-Sejdic, Andrew Kralicek
Summary: The challenges of mimicking the sensitivity and accuracy of natural olfactory systems have prompted research into artificial olfactory devices using natural OR proteins. Research on using insect ORs as sensing elements is now being explored due to the insects' extraordinary sense of smell and their vital olfactory cues for survival. Despite challenges such as expression and purification, significant progress has been made in developing OR-based biosensors with insect ORs.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jothi Kumar Yuvaraj, Melissa D. Jordan, Dan-Dan Zhang, Martin N. Andersson, Christer Lofstedt, Richard D. Newcomb, Jacob A. Corcoran
Summary: This study investigated the pheromone receptors of the invasive horticultural pest, Epiphyas postvittana. Two clades of receptors were identified, one of which was associated with E. postvittana's sex pheromone blend and the other with sex pheromones from other species.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
David Kleinheinz, Chiara D'Onofrio, Colm Carraher, Ulrich Ramach, Bernhard Schuster, Anil Bozdogan, Wolfgang Knoll, Jakob Andersson
Summary: Membrane proteins are crucial drug targets, but studying them is challenging due to the complexity of the cellular membrane. Tethered membrane systems can replicate basic properties of the cellular membrane, making them ideal for studying membrane proteins thanks to their high electrical resistance and stability.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Amali H. Thrimawithana, Chen Wu, John T. Christeller, Robert M. Simpson, Elena Hilario, Leah K. Tooman, Doreen Begum, Melissa D. Jordan, Ross Crowhurst, Richard D. Newcomb, Alessandro Grapputo
Summary: This study provides a genomic resource for understanding the biological basis of polyphagy and invasion in the light brown apple moth, a major pest of horticultural plants. The genomic analyses revealed a high proportion of repetitive sequences and expansions in gene families related to its pest status. Population genomics investigation showed likely patterns of invasion and admixture, with Californian moths most likely derived from Australia.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jihan Kim, Raise Ahmad, Santanu Deb-Choudhury, Arvind Subbaraj, Julie E. Dalziel, Scott O. Knowles
Summary: This study successfully identified gamma-glutamyl peptides (GGP) from the meat crusts of dry-cured lamb, which can enhance the flavor in foods. The results showed that glutaminase (GA) extract exhibited higher potency and efficacy in activating the kokumi-calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) compared to protease A (PA) and water-soluble extract (WSE). The in vitro receptor assay could be a convenient tool for screening kokumi tastants.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Raise Ahmad, Julie E. Dalziel, Hanh T. H. Nguyen, John Rounce, Li Day, Evelyne Maes
Summary: A study was conducted to compare the activation of the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) by fermented milks (FM) using different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains. The results showed varying potency and efficacy of CaSR activation among different strains.
INTERNATIONAL DAIRY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Nabil Parkar, Julie E. Dalziel, Nick J. Spencer, Patrick Janssen, Warren C. McNabb, Wayne Young
Summary: Gastrointestinal (GI) motility relies on the enteric nervous system (ENS) and is crucial for digestion. Dysfunction in the ENS can lead to constipation. Animal models have been developed to mimic constipation symptoms through pharmacological manipulations, and studies have shown an association between altered GI motility and gut microbial population. However, little is known about the changes in gut microbiota resulting from slowed GI motility induced by medication, and the current understanding is based on studies using faecal samples which do not accurately represent the intestinal microbiome. This study aimed to investigate how delayed GI transit, caused by opioid receptor agonism in the ENS, affects caecal microbiota composition, and the results showed significant differences in microbial composition between treatment groups, with Bacteroides being relatively abundant in the group with slowed GI transit.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
David Kleinheinz, Chiara D'Onofrio, Colm Carraher, Anil Bozdogan, Ulrich Ramach, Bernhard Schuster, Manuela Geiss, Markus Valtiner, Wolfgang Knoll, Jakob Andersson
Summary: Membrane proteins are difficult to study due to their location in the cellular membrane. To overcome this challenge, researchers have developed a model system using a self-assembled lipid bilayer nanoarchitecture. This system allows the measurement of insect olfactory receptors and provides direct evidence for ligand capture and olfactory receptor triggering facilitated by odorant binding proteins.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Behavioral Sciences
Sridevi Bhamidipati, Melissa Jordan, Michael Thoma, Amali Thrimawithana, Thomas Buckley, Richard Newcomb