Identification and functional characterization of D-fructose receptor in an egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 6; p. e0217493
• Main Authors: Liu, Jianbai, Wu, Han, Yi, Jiequn, Jiang, Dingxin, Zhang, Guren
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 19-06-2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Bioengineering; Biological control; Biological insect control; Biological pest control; Biology and Life Sciences; Caffeine; Computer and Information Sciences; Electrophysiology; Fecundity; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Food selection; Fructose; Fructose - metabolism; Function analysis; Gametocytes; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation - physiology; Genes; Gustatory system; Hymenoptera - genetics; Hymenoptera - metabolism; Insect pests; Insect Proteins - biosynthesis; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insects; Laboratories; Ligands; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metabolism; Molecular biology; Molecular modelling; Monosaccharides; Nervous system; Neurons; Nutritional requirements; Ovum - metabolism; Parasitoids; Pest control; Pests; Physical Sciences; Physiology; Receptors; Receptors, Cell Surface - biosynthesis; Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics; Recording; Research and Analysis Methods; Social Sciences; Studies; Sucrose; Sugar; Taste (Sense); Taste receptors; Transcription (Genetics); Trichogramma chilonis; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217493

In insects, the gustatory system has a critical function not only in selecting food and feeding behaviours but also in growth and metabolism. Gustatory receptors play an irreplaceable role in insect gustatory signalling. Trichogramma chilonis is an effective biocontrol agent against agricultural insect pests. However, the molecular mechanism of gustation in T. chilonis remains elusive. In this study, we found that T. chilonis adults had a preference for D-fructose and that D-fructose contributed to prolong longevity and improve fecundity. Then, We also isolated the full-length cDNA encoding candidate gustatory receptor (TchiGR43a) based on the transcriptome data of T. chilonis, and observed that the candidate gustatory receptor gene was expressed from the larval to adult stages. The expression levels of TchiGR43a were similar between female and male. A Xenopus oocyte expression system and two-electrode voltage-clamp recording further verified the function analysis of TchiGR43a. Electrophysiological results showed that TchiGR43a was exclusively tuned to D-fructose. By the studies of behaviour, molecular biology and electrophysiology in T. chilonis, our results lay a basic fundation of further study on the molecular mechanisms of gustatory reception and provide theoretical basis for the nutritional requirement of T. chilonis in biocontrol.