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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2025, Vol. 24 Issue (5): 1892-1904    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.07.019
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A compound produced by Helicoverpa armigera male genitalia activates a conserved pheromone receptor

Dongdong Sun1, Yutong Zhang1, Song Cao2, Xiaoqing Wang1, Qian Cao1, Sai Zhang1, Yang Liu1#

1 State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China

2 Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China

 Highlights 
Three candidate male sex pheromones including Z7-12:OAc, methyl 2-methoxybenzoate, and methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate were identified in male genitalia of Helicoverpa armigera.
The olfactory receptor neuron ORN-a in Type A trichoid sensilla of male antenna is shown to respond to Z7-12:OAc.
OR13s from five Heliothinae species, including H. armigera, respond to Z7-12:OAc, revealing the conserved mechanism of OR13 in its ligand perception.
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摘要  

交配行为是昆虫繁殖过程中的重要组成部分,通常由关键的化学信号介导。在许多蛾类物种中,雄蛾通过识别雌蛾释放的性信息素来寻找合适的配偶,性信息素受体在这一化学信号识别过程中扮演着关键角色。同样,雄蛾在求偶过程中会释放出复杂的混合挥发性化合物;然而,有关这些候选雄性性信息素的嗅觉识别机制研究尚不充分。在这项研究中,我们利用气相色谱-触角电位联用技术(GC-EAD)以及气相色谱-质谱联用技术(GC-MS)分析了棉铃虫雄性产生的挥发性化合物,并鉴定了三种候选雄性性信息素,其中Z7-12:OAc在雄蛾触角中能引起更明显的电生理反应。通过单感器记录(SSR)发现,棉铃虫雄蛾触角的A类毛型感器中表达HarmOR13ORN-a能被Z7-12:OAc激活。进一步爪蟾卵母细胞双电极电压钳记录表明,Z7-12:OAc能激活五种实夜蛾亚科蛾类的OR13。本研究结果发现了一种可应用于未来行为研究的候选雄性性信息素,如果有行为数据的支持,这些结果将有助于设计新型嗅觉行为调控剂,通过干扰交配实现有效害虫控制策略



Abstract  

Mating behavior is essential for sexual reproduction, and it is often modulated by key chemical cues.  In many moth species, males find compatible mates through the reception of sex pheromones which are released by females.  Pheromone receptors (PRs) are key elements in sensing these chemical signals.  Concurrently, male moths emit a complex blend of volatile compounds during courtship; however, the mechanisms for recognizing putative male pheromones remain poorly understood.  Here, we employed gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection and mass spectrometry to analyze the volatile compounds produced by males of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera.  Three candidate male sex pheromones were identified, with (Z)-7-dodecen-1-yl acetate (Z7-12:OAc) eliciting the most pronounced electrophysiological response in the male antenna.  The olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) ORN-a in Type A trichoid sensilla was shown to respond to Z7-12:OAc by conducting single sensillum recording (SSR) assays.  Additionally, we found that the OR13s from five Heliothinae species responded to Z7-12:OAc by using the Xenopus oocyte expression system and two-electrode voltage-clamp recording.  Our findings identified a candidate for evaluation in future behavioral studies of the poorly understood chemosensory recognition mechanisms underlying male sex pheromones.  If its relevance is supported by behavioral data, this knowledge may facilitate the design of novel olfactory regulators for effective pest control strategies involving mating disruption.

Keywords:  Helicoverpa armigera        male sex pheromone        Z7-12:OAc        single sensillum recording        two-electrode voltage-clamp  
Received: 07 March 2024   Online: 18 July 2024   Accepted: 30 May 2024
Fund: This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32272540 and 32072509), the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFD1400800), and the Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS-CSCB-202302).
About author:  Dongdong Sun, E-mail: dongdsyjl@163.com; #Correspondence Yang Liu, E-mail: yangliu@ippcaas.cn

Cite this article: 

Dongdong Sun, Yutong Zhang, Song Cao, Xiaoqing Wang, Qian Cao, Sai Zhang, Yang Liu. 2025. A compound produced by Helicoverpa armigera male genitalia activates a conserved pheromone receptor. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 24(5): 1892-1904.

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