Abstract:
Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are a class of soluble proteins that facilitate the recognition of chemical signals in insects. While CSP genes have been identified in many insect species, studies investigating their function remain limited. Cotesia ruficrus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) holds promise as an indigenous biological control agent for managing the invasive pest Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in China. This study aimed to shed light on the gene expression, ligand binding, and molecular docking of CrufCSP1 in C. ruficrus. A RT-qPCR analysis revealed that the expression of CrufCSP1 was higher in the wings, with male adults exhibiting significantly higher relative expression levels than other developmental stages. A fluorescence competitive binding analysis further demonstrated that CrufCSP1 has a high binding ability with several host-related volatiles, with trans-2-hexenal, octanal, and benzaldehyde showing the strongest affinity to CrufCSP1. A molecular docking analysis indicated that specific amino acid residues (Phe24, Asp25, Thr53, and Lys81) of CrufCSP1 can bind to these specific ligands. Together, these findings suggest that CrufCSP1 may play a crucial role in the process of C. ruficrus locating hosts. This knowledge can contribute to the development of more efficient and eco-friendly strategies for protecting crops and managing pests.
摘要:
化学感觉蛋白(CSP)是一类可溶性蛋白,有助于识别昆虫的化学信号。虽然已经在许多昆虫物种中鉴定了CSP基因,调查其功能的研究仍然有限。Cotesiaruficrus(膜翅目:Braconidae)有望作为一种本地生物防治剂,用于管理中国的入侵性害虫Spodopterafrugiperda(鳞翅目:夜蛾科)。本研究旨在阐明基因表达,配体结合,和CrufCSP1在C.ruficrus中的分子对接。RT-qPCR分析显示,翅膀中CrufCSP1的表达较高,成年男性的相对表达水平明显高于其他发育阶段。荧光竞争结合分析进一步证明CrufCSP1具有与几种宿主相关挥发物的高结合能力,反式-2-己烯醛,octanal,苯甲醛对CrufCSP1的亲和力最强。分子对接分析表明,CrufCSP1的特定氨基酸残基(Phe24,Asp25,Thr53和Lys81)可以与这些特定配体结合。一起,这些发现表明,CrufCSP1可能在C.ruficrus定位宿主的过程中起着至关重要的作用。这些知识可以有助于制定更有效和生态友好的策略来保护作物和管理害虫。