Specialized odorant receptors in social insects that detect cuticular hydrocarbon cues and candidate pheromones

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00099-1
• Publication Date: 2017-08-10T18:55:58Z
• Authors: Gregory M. Pask; Jesse D. Slone; Jocelyn G. Millar; Prithwiraj Das; Jardel A. Moreira; Xiaofan Zhou; Jan Bello; Shelley L. Berger; Roberto Bonasio; Claude Desplan; Danny Reinberg; Jürgen Liebig; Laurence J. Zwiebel; Anandasankar Ray
• Keywords: Eusociality; Subfamily

Eusocial insects use cuticular hydrocarbons as components of pheromones that mediate social behaviours, such caste and nestmate recognition, regulation reproduction. In ants Harpegnathos saltator, the queen produces a pheromone which suppresses development workers' ovaries if she is removed, workers can transition to reproductive state known gamergate. Here we functionally characterize subfamily odorant receptors (Ors) with nine-exon gene structure have undergone massive expansion in other eusocial insects. We deorphanize 22 representative members find they detect from different ant castes, one (HsOr263) responds strongly gamergate extract candidate component. After systematic testing diverse panel hydrocarbons, most saltator Ors are narrowly tuned, suggesting several must contribute detection discrimination important mediating behaviour.Cuticular (CHC) interactions between individuals insects, but sensory for CHCs unclear. authors show H. 9-exon (HsOrs) CHCs, ectopic expression HsOrs Drosophila neurons imparts responsiveness CHCs.