Abstract

Olfaction plays a dominant role in the mate-finding and host selection behaviors of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella), an important pest of apple, pear and walnut orchards. Antennal transcriptome analysis (Bengtsson et al. 2012, Walker et al. 2016) revealed a number of abundantly expressed genes related to the moth olfactory system, including those encoding the olfactory receptors (ORs) CpomOR1, CpomOR3 and CpomOR6a, which belong to the putative pheromone receptor (PR) lineage, and the co-receptor (CpomOrco). Using heterologous expression, in both human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells and in Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons, coupled with calcium imaging and electrophysiological recording, respectively, we characterize the basic physiological and pharmacological properties of these receptors and demonstrate that they form functional ionotropic receptor channels.

Keywords

Codling moth (Cydia pomonella); olfaction; pests

Published in

Conference

XXVIIIth annual meeting of the European chemoreception research organization, ECRO 2018, 180905–180909, Würzburg, Germany

Authors' information