Mechanisms of Olfaction in Insects - ResearchSpace@Auckland ...
Mechanisms of Olfaction in Insects - ResearchSpace@Auckland ...
Mechanisms of Olfaction in Insects - ResearchSpace@Auckland ...
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The roles <strong>of</strong> Epiphyas postvittana GOBP2 <strong>in</strong> odour detection 74<br />
Table 3.1: A comparison <strong>of</strong> the EC50 values from dose response curves <strong>of</strong> EpOR1<br />
obta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> Sf9 cell assays with DMSO and/or EpGOBP2 used as a solubilisation<br />
agent for the ligands methyl salicylate and geranyl acetate.<br />
Ligand components EC50[Methyl Salicylate] (M) EC50[Geranyl Acetate] (M)<br />
Sal<strong>in</strong>e only NR a NR<br />
DMSO only (1.8 ± 0.9) -12 (2.7 ± 0.4) -8<br />
EpGOBP2 only (1.19 ± 0.82) -13 (1.9 ± 0.66) -10<br />
DMSO + EpGOBP2 (1.33 ± 0.96) -13 (1.97 ± 2.5) -10<br />
a. NR = no response<br />
3.4 Discussion<br />
<strong>Insects</strong> can recognise a range <strong>of</strong> chemicals, most <strong>of</strong> which are hydrophobic <strong>in</strong> nature.<br />
The actual mechanism <strong>of</strong> odour recognition by <strong>in</strong>sects is yet to be deduced; however<br />
theoretical models suggest solubilisation and target<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the hydrophobic odours to<br />
the receptor neurons via soluble prote<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>termediates present <strong>in</strong> the sensillum lymph<br />
(Kaissl<strong>in</strong>g, 2009). We can test the roles <strong>of</strong> these soluble prote<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong> vitro sett<strong>in</strong>g<br />
by express<strong>in</strong>g the receptor <strong>in</strong> cell l<strong>in</strong>es such as the Sf9 <strong>in</strong>sect cell l<strong>in</strong>es used <strong>in</strong> this<br />
study, and look<strong>in</strong>g at the effect on receptor activation upon addition <strong>of</strong> these prote<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
The ability <strong>of</strong> EpGOBP2 to solubilise plant volatiles <strong>of</strong> importance to E. postvittana<br />
was tested <strong>in</strong> a VOBA sett<strong>in</strong>g. The ten compounds tested were chosen based on their<br />
ability to activate EpOR1 expressed <strong>in</strong> the Sf9 cell assay system. EpGOBP2 was able<br />
to solubilise seven <strong>of</strong> these compounds; however the b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g repertoire <strong>of</strong> EpGOBP2<br />
may be more extensive if the range <strong>of</strong> tested compounds was to be expanded. For the<br />
scope <strong>of</strong> this study, only those compounds that elicited response to EpOR1 were<br />
chosen for test<strong>in</strong>g their b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g to EpGOBP2.<br />
The chemistries <strong>of</strong> these seven compounds differ considerably. Pentyl acetate is an<br />
ester that has a straight cha<strong>in</strong> structure, while geranyl acetate and nerol are l<strong>in</strong>ear<br />
monoterpenes, eucalyptol is a cyclic monoterpene and α-farnesene is a sesquiterpene.<br />
Methyl salicylate is a benzoic r<strong>in</strong>g phenol and octanol is a l<strong>in</strong>ear alcohol (O'Neil,<br />
2006). The amount <strong>of</strong> each <strong>of</strong> these ligands bound by EpGOBP2 differs accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
their chemistries, with EpGOBP2 hav<strong>in</strong>g highest aff<strong>in</strong>ity for alcohol followed by the