Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Vertical T-maze Choice Assay for Arthropod Response to Odorants
Published on: February 14, 2013
Molecular Identification, Expression, and Functional Analysis of a General Odorant-Binding Protein 1 of Asian Citrus
Huatang Wang1,2, Huiling Chen1, Zhengbing Wang1
1Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Insect Behavior Regulation, College of Agriculture South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
For insects, odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) play an essential role in binding and transporting semiochemicals through the sensillum lymph to olfactory receptor neurons within the antennal sensilla. In the present study, the full-length cDNA encoding a general odorant-binding protein 1 (DcitOBP1, accession number KY475564) was cloned from the antennae of Diaphorina citri using RACE-PCR, and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the DcitOBP1 gene was expressed mainly in the antennae of D. citri. In molecular docking assay, the results showed that DcitOBP1 protein has better binding affinities to the 12 selected host-plant volatile compounds. Then, the recombinant DcitOBP1 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli. After removed His-Tag, the binding properties of purified DcitOBP1 protein to the selected host-plant volatile compounds were investigated in a fluorescence ligand-binding assay, similar, but more obviously binding properties of DcitOBP1 protein result were obtained, the dissociation constant (KD) value of DcitOBP1/1-NPN complex was 6.440 ± 0.521, and the DcitOBP1 protein showed high binding affinities (IC50 < 100 μM) to six of the selected ligands, namely methyl salicylate, α-phellandrene, (1R)-(+)-α-pinene, 3-carene, β-caryophyllene, and α-caryophyllene. Additionally, the behavior bioassays were also showed that D. citri had significant behavioral responses toward to α-caryophyllene, β-caryophyllene, (1R)-(+)-α-pinene, and α-phellandrene. Our investigation infer that the DcitOBP1 protein might play a crucial role in host-plant volatile odorants' perception in D. citri, and these results also have been supplied previous insight evidence into the physiological functions of the DcitOBP1 protein of D. citri.
Related Concept Videos
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
The...
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
Mechanical Protein Functions
Conserved Binding Sites
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally...
The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength
Structural Protein Function
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...

