RNAi knockdown of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, odorant binding proteins result in altered electrophysiological responses

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthi Balakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Odorant Binding Proteins ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Electrophysiological Responses ◽  
Odorant Binding

scholarly journals Mutually Exclusive Expression of Closely Related Odorant-Binding Proteins 9A and 9B in the Antenna of the Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1502
Author(s):  
Alice Montino ◽  
Karthi Balakrishnan ◽  
Stefan Dippel ◽  
Björn Trebels ◽  
Piotr Neumann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Duplication ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Gene Pair ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Duplication Event ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Gene Duplication Event ◽  
Odorant Binding Proteins ◽  
Receptor Complexes ◽  
Odorant Binding

Olfaction is crucial for insects to find food sources, mates, and oviposition sites. One of the initial steps in olfaction is facilitated by odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) that translocate hydrophobic odorants through the aqueous olfactory sensilla lymph to the odorant receptor complexes embedded in the dendritic membrane of olfactory sensory neurons. The Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) OBPs encoded by the gene pair TcasOBP9A and TcasOBP9B represent the closest homologs to the well-studied Drosophila melanogaster OBP Lush (DmelOBP76a), which mediates pheromone reception. By an electroantennographic analysis, we can show that these two OBPs are not pheromone-specific but rather enhance the detection of a broad spectrum of organic volatiles. Both OBPs are expressed in the antenna but in a mutually exclusive pattern, despite their homology and gene pair character by chromosomal location. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that this gene pair arose at the base of the Cucujiformia, which dates the gene duplication event to about 200 Mio years ago. Therefore, this gene pair is not the result of a recent gene duplication event and the high sequence conservation in spite of their expression in different sensilla is potentially the result of a common function as co-OBPs.

A Novel Method for the Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum (H.) using Headspace-SPME Technology

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ihab Alnajim ◽  
Manjree Agarwal ◽  
Tao Liu ◽  
YongLin Ren
Keyword(s):  
Volatile Organic Compounds ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Red Flour Beetle ◽  
Specific Chemical ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Spme Fibre

Background: The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is one of the world’s most serious stored grain insect pests. A method of early and rapid identification of red flour beetle in stored products is urgently required to improve control options. Specific chemical signals identified as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are released by the beetle can serve as biomarkers. Methods: The Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) technique and the analytical conditions with GC and GCMS were optimised and validated for the determination of VOCs released from T. castaneum. Results: The 50/30 μm DVB/CAR/PDMS SPME fibre was selected for extraction of VOCs from T. castaneum. The efficiency of extraction of VOCs was significantly affected by the extraction time, temperature, insect density and type of SPME fibre. Twenty-three VOCs were extracted from insects in 4 mL flask at 35 ± 1°C for four hours of extraction and separated and identified with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The major VOCs or chemical signals from T. castaneum were 1-pentadecene, p-Benzoquinone, 2-methyl- and p-Benzoquinone, 2-ethyl. Conclusion: This study showed that HS-SPME GC technology is a robust and cost-effective method for extraction and identification of the unique VOCs produced by T. castaneum. Therefore, this technology could lead to a new approach in the timely detection of T. castaneum and its subsequent treatment.

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