Genomic content of chemosensory receptors in two sister blister beetles facilitates characterization of chemosensory evolution.

ABSTRACT:

Background

More than 2500 species belong to the Meloidae family (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea), members of which produce the potent defensive blistering agent cantharidin and are commonly known as blister beetles or Spanishflies. Cantharidin has recently been used for cancer therapy. Hycleus cichorii and Hycleus phaleratus have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2000 years due to their ability to biosynthesize cantharidin. To understand the role of the chemosensory system in beetle evolution, we comparatively analysed the chemosensory receptor families of both blister beetle species and compared them with those of other beetles.

Results

We identified 89 odorant receptors (ORs), 86 gustatory receptors (GRs), and 45 ionotropic receptors (IRs) in H. phaleratu

SUBMITTER: Wu YM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7448986 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature