Abstract

In this review we present the developmental, histological, evolutionary and functional properties of insect chemosensory proteins (CSPs) in insect species. CSPs are small globular proteins folded like a prism and notoriously known for their complex and arguably obscure function(s), particularly in pheromone olfaction. Here, we focus on direct functional consequences on protein function depending on duplication, expression and RNA editing. The result of our analysis is important for understanding the significance of RNA-editing on functionality of CSP genes, particularly in the brain tissue.

Highlights

  • We propose that Chemosensory Proteins (CSPs) play a key role in activating the omega6 fatty acid pathway, which is necessary to produce diacylglycerol (DAG) that will in turn activate phospholipase kinase C and phosphorylation of many various different proteins (Figure 6) [56]

  • We attempt to engage in an understanding of their neofunctionalization or ability to interact with lipids and fatty acids for neuroplasticity

  • The biochemical mechanisms of CSPs in the resistance against insecticide has not been fully investigated, a role of CSPs at different levels of the insect immunological defense is strongly supported by the ability of whitefly CSP1s to interact with lipids, while whitefly CSP2s and CSP3s have the ability to interact directly with specific xenobiotic compounds such as cinnamaldehydes from plant oils [15]

Read more

Summary

A Very Ancient Malleable Protein

Chemosensory proteins are a class of small (10–12 kDa) soluble proteins reported for the first time by Nomura et al (1982) as an up-regulated factor in the regenerating legs of Periplaneta americana [1]. RNA and protein editing could account for the theoretical problem of CSPs interacting with a million or trillion possible ligands, referring not necessarily to the olfactory receptor combinatorial coding theory, but to the recognition, transport and degradation of an enormous amount of potential toxicants and/or all the lipid metabolites that are necessary to activate nuclear receptors, trigger enzymes in different reactions of a chain and/or regulate gene expression in various cellular physiological systems (Figure 1) All of these complementary mechanisms would enable the CSPs to be malleable, i.e., to have a sequence that can be recoded in order to orientate the protein to a new function. It is a hypothesis that is largely compatible with the existence of CSPs in different levels within many various kingdoms that contain organisms with cell walls, i.e., arthropods, bacteria, insects and plants [20,28,29,30]

CSPs and Cell Evolution
Phylogenetic Distribution Analysis in Insects and Bacteria
CSP Gene Expression in Response to Environmental Change
CSPs for Lipid- and Fatty Acid- Mediated Pathways
Genetic Editing of CSPs for Insecticide Resistance
Genetic Plasticity of CSPs for Neuroplasticity
Conclusions and Future Research

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.