昆虫嗅觉系统通过气味检测在昆虫的生存和繁殖中起着至关重要的作用。形态和生理适应是种姓特异性的,在工人中独立进化,士兵,和白蚁的繁殖体。然而,目前尚不清楚嗅觉系统是否参与白蚁群落的分工。在本研究中,Alates的触角感觉,工人,士兵,若虫,并对白蚁的幼虫进行了调查。转录组用于检测嗅觉基因,通过qRT-PCR分析证实了不同种姓中嗅觉基因的差异表达水平。在草的触角上鉴定出9种类型的感官,士兵拥有所有9种类型。在89,475个组装的unigenes中,我们发现了16个嗅觉基因,包括6个化学感应蛋白(CSP)和10个气味结合蛋白(OBP)基因。这些OBP基因包括8个普通气味结合蛋白基因(GOBP)和2个信息素结合蛋白相关蛋白(PBP)基因。五个CSP基因在alates比在工人中更高的表达,士兵,幼虫,和若虫,CSP6在若虫中的表达水平明显增高。七个GOBP和两个PBP基因在alates中表现出明显更高的表达水平,GOBP2在工人中的表达水平没有显着差异,士兵,Alates,还有幼虫.这些结果表明,作为初级繁殖体,有独特的嗅觉基因表达模式,在婚礼飞行中起着关键作用,寻找伴侣,和新殖民地基金会。
The insect olfactory system plays pivotal roles in insect survival and reproduction through odor detection. Morphological and physiological adaptations are caste-specific and evolved independently in workers, soldiers, and reproductives in termites. However, it is unclear whether the olfactory system is involved in the division of labor in
termite colonies. In the present study, the antennal sensilla of alates, workers, soldiers, nymphs, and larvae of the
termite Reticulitermes aculabialis Tsai et Hwang ( Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) were investigated. Transcriptomes were used to detect olfactory genes, and differential expression levels of olfactory genes were confirmed in various castes by qRT-PCR analysis. Nine types of sensilla were identified on the antennae of R. aculabialis, and soldiers possessed all 9 types. In 89,475 assembled unigenes, we found 16 olfactory genes, including 6 chemosensory protein (CSP) and 10 odorant-binding protein (OBP) genes. These OBP genes included 8 general odorant-binding protein genes (GOBPs) and 2 pheromone-binding protein-related protein (PBP) genes. Five CSP genes were more highly expressed in alates than in workers, soldiers, larvae, and nymphs, and the expression levels of CSP6 were significantly higher in nymphs. Seven GOBP and two PBP genes exhibited significantly higher expression levels in alates, and there were no significant differences in the expression levels of GOBP2 among workers, soldiers, alates, and larvae. These results suggest that alates, as primary reproductives, have unique expression patterns of olfactory genes, which play key roles in nuptial flight, mate seeking, and new colony foundation.