Abstract
Polyamines are nitrogenous compounds that alter the odour sensitivity of insects. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of polyamines on the expression levels of olfactory-related genes in male/female adult diamondback moths, Plutella xylostella. Results indicate that treatment with polyamines or α-difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO), a polyamine synthesis inhibitor, significantly affected the expression of various olfactory related genes. Although DFMO had no significant effect on the expression of PxylPBP1, it did significantly decrease the expression of other olfactory related genes (PxylGOBP1, PxylGOBP2 and PxylCSP1) in a gender-related fashion that correlated with the mating status of the adults. Polyamines [spermine (spm), putrescine (put) and spermidine (spd)] decreased the expression of PxylGOBP2 in naive male moths, but increased the expression of the same gene in virgin female moths. In addition, put treatment significantly increased the expression of PxylGOBP1 in virgin females and unmated male moths, but significantly decreased its expression in mated female and male moths. Based on these results we conclude that polyamines have a regulatory role in the expression of olfactory related genes and that these effects depend on the gene, gender and mating status of diamondback moths. These results indicate that polyamines affect the expression of the genes in insects that determine their olfactory ability.
Highlights
The polyamines spermidine and spermine, as well as their precursor amine putrescine are low molecular weight nitrogenous compounds naturally produced by living cells (Morgan & Wallace, 1994)
Newly emerged males treated with the polyamine synthesis inhibitor α-difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO) have an enhanced antennal sensitivity to female pheromones and treatment with polyamines modulates the phosphorylation of several antennary proteins (Tirard et al, 2002)
PxylGOBP1 levels PxylGOBP1 is expressed during the entire adult stage of diamondback moths (Fig. 1, Table 2)
Summary
The polyamines spermidine (spd) and spermine (spm), as well as their precursor amine putrescine (put) are low molecular weight nitrogenous compounds naturally produced by living cells (Morgan & Wallace, 1994). Insects recognize a wide range of hydrophobic semiochemical signals, such as odours and tastes, which enable them to detect each other, locate suitable food, identify their hosts and control their behaviour. These chemicals are bound by soluble odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and transported through the sensillar lymph to the olfactory receptors, where signal transduction is initiated (Vogt et al, 1999). Newly emerged males treated with the polyamine synthesis inhibitor α-difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO) have an enhanced antennal sensitivity to female pheromones and treatment with polyamines modulates the phosphorylation of several antennary proteins (Tirard et al, 2002). We found that treatment with polyamines and α-difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO) significantly affects the sensitivity of the moth’s antennae
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