Antennal transcriptomic analysis of carboxylesterases and glutathione S-transferases associated with odorant degradation in the tea gray geometrid, Ectropis grisescens (Lepidoptera, Geometridae)

Fangmei Zhang; Yijun Chen; Xiaocen Zhao; Shibao Guo; Feng Hong; Yanan Zhi; Li Zhang; Zhou Zhou; Yunhui Zhang; Xuguo Zhou; Xiangrui Li

doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1183610

Antennal transcriptomic analysis of carboxylesterases and glutathione S-transferases associated with odorant degradation in the tea gray geometrid, Ectropis grisescens (Lepidoptera, Geometridae)

Front Physiol. 2023 Apr 4:14:1183610. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1183610. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Fangmei Zhang^{1

2}, Yijun Chen^{1

3}, Xiaocen Zhao¹, Shibao Guo¹, Feng Hong¹, Yanan Zhi¹, Li Zhang¹, Zhou Zhou¹, Yunhui Zhang², Xuguo Zhou⁴, Xiangrui Li²

Affiliations

¹ College of Agriculture, Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University, Xinyang, China.
² State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
³ College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
⁴ Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United states.

Abstract

Introduction: Carboxylesterases (CXEs) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) can terminate olfactory signals during chemosensation by rapid degradation of odorants in the vicinity of receptors. The tea grey geometrid, Ectropis grisescens (Lepidoptera, Geometridae), one of the most devastating insect herbivores of tea plants in China, relies heavily on plant volatiles to locate the host plants as well as the oviposition sites. However, CXEs and GSTs involved in signal termination and odorant clearance in E. grisescens remains unknown. Methods: In this study, identification and spatial expression profiles of CXEs and GSTs in this major tea pest were investigated by transcriptomics and qRT-PCR, respectively. Results: As a result, we identified 28 CXEs and 16 GSTs from female and male antennal transcriptomes. Phylogenetic analyses clustered these candidates into several clades, among which antennal CXEs, mitochondrial and cytosolic CXEs, and delta group GSTs contained genes commonly associated with odorants degradation. Spatial expression profiles showed that most CXEs (26) were expressed in antennae. In comparison, putative GSTs exhibited a diverse expression pattern across different tissues, with one GST expressed specifically in the male antennae. Disscussion: These combined results suggest that 12 CXEs (EgriCXE1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 18, 20-22, 24, 26, and 29) and 5 GSTs (EgriGST1 and EgriGST delta group) provide a major source of candidate genes for odorants degradation in E. grisescens.

Keywords: Ectropis grisescens; antennal transcriptome; carboxylesterases; glutathione S-transferases; odorant-degrading enzyme.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province (No. 212300410229), the Key Project for University Excellent Young Talents of Henan Province (No. 2020GGJS260), the Project of Science and Technology Innovation Team (Nos. XNKJTD-007 and KJCXTD-202001), special funds for Henan Province Scientific and Technological Development guided by the Central Government (Z20221341063), and Youth Foundation (Nos. 2019LG004 and 20200106), Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University, P.R. China.