Male tarsi specific odorant-binding proteins in the diving beetle Cybister japonicus sharp.

ABSTRACT: Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) play critical roles in chemical communication of insects, as they recognize and transport environmental chemical signals to receptors. The diving beetle Cybister japonicus Sharp shows a remarkable sexual dimorphism. The foreleg tarsi of males are equipped with large suction cups, believed to help holding the female during underwater courtship and mating. Here, we identified two OBPs highly and specifically expressed in male tarsi, suggesting important functions of these structures in chemical communication. The first protein, CjapOBP1, exhibits the 6 conserved cysteines motif of classic OBPs, while the second, CjapOBP2, contains only four cysteines and can be assigned to the sub-class of C-minus OBPs. Both proteins were expressed in a bacterial system and th

SUBMITTER: Song LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4992826 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature