Identification and expression analysis of odorant-binding proteins and chemosensory proteins in the antennal transcriptome of Yemma signatus (Hsiao, 1974)

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) in insects play an important role in mating and oviposition host selection. A plant bug, Yemma signatus is a Hemiptera omnivorous insect that feeds on plants and small insects, but little chemical communication information is available on this species. Here, using antennal transcriptome data from Y. signatus , 22 OBPs (19 ‘Classic’ OBPs and three ‘Plus-C’ OBPs) and 14 CSPs were identified. The expression profiles of these putative OBP and CSP genes were examined using real-time quantitative PCR. Our results revealed that OBP and CSP genes were mainly expressed in male and female antennae of Y. signatus . Only YsigCSP10 was more highly expressed in body parts than in the antennae of both sexes. Our study provides valuable biological information for studying olfactory communication systems in Y. signatus .