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Updated: Aug 5, 2025

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings
Published on: February 26, 2016
A neurotransmitter histamine mediating phototransduction and photopreference in Callosobruchus maculatus
Fengming Wu1,2, Zhong Du3, Tianhao Zhang1,2
1Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Background:
The biogenic amine histamine plays a critical role in the phototransduction and photopreference of most insects. Here, we study the function of histamine in Callosobruchus maculatus, a global storage pest.
Results:
In our experiment, we initially identified the histidine decarboxylase (hdc) gene through bioinformation analysis. We subsequently investigated effects of hdc and histamine on the photopreference of C. maculatus using a combination of RNA interference (RNAi), electroretinograms (ERG), immunostaining, and photopreference behavior approaches. Our results showed that histamine was required for visual signal transduction of C. maculatus, and increased its photopreference regardless of the wavelength.
Conclusion:
This is the first study analyzing the molecular characteristics of C. maculatus photopreference, which forms the basis for a molecular mechanism for the effects of histamine on its visual transduction and preference. In practice, better understanding the photopreference patterns contributes to IPM (integrated pest management) for this storage pest. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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