Meeting Abstract
The insect odorant receptor (Or) gene family has been studied and hypothesized to play a critical role in reproduction. Odorant receptor proteins, located on the olfactory sensory neuronal dendrites, detect odorant chemicals such as pheromones and then mediate key behaviors such as mate choice. Although olfaction is known to play a predominant role in sexual communication, there is still a large amount of olfactory genes absent from most insect species. In this study, we investigate the sequencing data of one of the most common fireflies in North America, Photinus pyralis (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). This firefly species is well known for their use of light signals to attract mates, but our knowledge of their odorant receptors still remains elusive. Recent advances in genome sequencing have provided tools to identify the Or gene repertoires in P. pyralis sequence data. The aim of this study was to develop an overview of P. pyralis’ ability to detect chemical signals at the molecular level. Using bioinformatics analysis, we identified a set of 27 putative Or genes in the P. pyralis transcriptome. A phylogenetic tree was constructed from Or sequences of P. pyralis and other beetles species. It showed that all the candidate Or sequences of P. pyralis were clustered with at least one Coleoptera ortholog. Results of this study provide a foundation for future studies on the expression and function of the P. pyralis Or candidates. The study also provides a better understanding of the molecular basis and evolutionary history of mating signals in the Lampyridae family.
