Differential expression of the chemosensory transcriptome in two populations of the stemborer Sesamia nonagrioides

Among the proposed mechanisms of local adaptation to different ecological environments, transcriptional changes may play an important role. In this study, we investigated whether such variability occurred within the chemosensory organs of a herbivorous insect, for which chemosensation guides most of its host preferences. A European and an African population of the noctuid Sesamia nonagrioides that display significant differences in their ecological preferences were collected on Zea mays and Typha domingensis, respectively. RNAseq were used between the two populations for digital expression profiling of chemosensory organs from larval antennae and palps. Preliminary data on adult female antennae and ovipositors were also collected. We found 6,550 differentially expressed transcripts in larval antennae and palps. Gene ontology enrichment analyses suggested that transcriptional activity was overrepresented in the French population and that virus and defense activities were overrepresented in the Kenyan population. In addition, we found differential expression of a variety of cytochrome P450s, which may be linked to the different host-plant diets. Looking at olfactory genes, we observed differential expression of numerous candidate odorant-binding proteins, chemosensory proteins, and one olfactory receptor, suggesting that differences in olfactory sensitivity participate in insect adaptation.