Mechanisms of chemoreception and biosynthesis of bioactive substances in several fruit fly species

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26450466
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Insect science
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ono Hajime 京都大学, 農学研究科, 助教 (70452282)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MITSUNO Hidefumi 東京大学, 先端科学技術研究センター, 助教 (60511855)
• Research Collaborator: Hee Alvin K. W. プトラ大学
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 果実害虫ミバエ類 / ミカンコミバエ / 誘引物質 / 植物揮発成分 / 嗅覚受容体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The fruit fly species in the genus Bactrocera and Zeugodacus are highly destructive pests of various fruits. The reproductive and host-finding behaviors of this species are affected by several plant semiochemicals that are perceived through chemosensory receptors. However, the chemosensory mechanisms by which this perception occurs have not been fully elucidated. We identified the genes coding for chemosensory receptors of three fruit fly species, and succeeded to characterized olfactory receptors in the Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis that respond to plant volatiles in a heterologous expression system comprising Xenopus oocytes. We further assessed the attraction of both female and male flies to four volatiles recognized as ligands for the two ORs, and found that when used in combination with visual cues, certain plant volatiles had a significant effect on the landing behavior of mated females.

Free Research Field

昆虫生理学