AUTHOR=Huang Cong , Zhang Xue , He Dongfeng , Wu Qiang , Tang Rui , Xing Longsheng , Liu Wanxue , Wang Wenkai , Liu Bo , Xi Yu , Yang Nianwan , Wan Fanghao , Qian Wanqiang 

TITLE=Comparative Genomics Provide Insights Into Function and Evolution of Odorant Binding Proteins in Cydia pomonella

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.690185

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2021.690185

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>Insect olfaction is vital for foraging, mating, host-seeking, and avoidance of predators/pathogens. In insects, odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are involved in transporting hydrophobic odor molecules from the external environment to receptor neurons. The codling moth, <italic>Cydia pomonella</italic>, one of the most destructive insect fruit pests, causes enormous economic losses. However, little is known about the number, variety, gains and losses, and evolution of <italic>OBP</italic> genes in <italic>C. pomonella</italic>. Here we report the identification of 40 <italic>OBPs</italic> in <italic>C. pomonella</italic>, most (75%) of which are classic <italic>OBPs</italic>, using genomic and transcriptomic analyses. Two <italic>OBP</italic> genes were lost in <italic>C. pomonella</italic> relative to possible distant ancestor in Lepidoptera lineage based on an analysis of gene gains and losses. The phylogenetic tree and chromosome location showed that the expansion of <italic>OBP</italic> genes mainly resulted from tandem duplications, as the <italic>CpomGOBP2</italic> gene was duplicated twice along with loss of <italic>CpomPBPB</italic>. Two positive selection sites of the <italic>CpomGOBP1</italic> gene were identified while other <italic>OBP</italic> genes evolved under purifying selection. Our results provide fundamental knowledge of <italic>OBP</italic> genes allowing further study of their function in <italic>C. pomonella</italic>.</p>