Molecular Characterization and Differential Expression of an Olfactory Receptor Gene Family in the White-Backed Planthopper <i>Sogatella furcifera</i> Based on Transcriptome Analysis

Abstract

<div><p>The white-backed planthopper, <i>Sogatella furcifera</i>, a notorious rice pest in Asia, employs host plant volatiles as cues for host location. In insects, odor detection is mediated by two types of olfactory receptors: odorant receptors (ORs) and ionotropic receptors (IRs). In this study, we identified 63 <i>SfurORs</i> and 14 <i>SfurIRs</i> in <i>S</i>. <i>furcifera</i> based on sequences obtained from the head transcriptome and bioinformatics analysis. The motif-pattern of 130 hemiptera ORs indicated an apparent differentiation in this order. Phylogenetic trees of the ORs and IRs were constructed using neighbor-joining estimates. Most of the ORs had orthologous genes, but a specific OR clade was identified in <i>S</i>. <i>furcifera</i>, which suggests that these ORs may have specific olfactory functions in this species. Our results provide a basis for further investigations of how <i>S</i>. <i>furcifera</i> coordinates its olfactory receptor genes with its plant hosts, thereby providing a foundation for novel pest management approaches based on these genes.</p></div