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Functional Characterization of Sugar Receptors in Agasicles hygrophila Larvae
Li-Yuan Sun1, Qi Lu1, Yun-Zhi Shi1
1College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China.
Abstract:
Sugar perception is critical for insect feeding and host selection. Agasicles hygrophila is a monophagous natural enemy insect introduced for controlling the invasive weed Alternanthera philoxeroides, yet its molecular mechanism underlying sugar sensing remains unclear. In this study, eight sugar compounds, including the most abundant sucrose, were identified in A. philoxeroides. Sucrose and fructose elicited attractive larval responses, whereas ribose, glucose, galactose, and mannose were repellent. Supplying sucrose or fructose mitigated the feeding inhibition of ribose, galactose, and mannose, but only fructose alleviated the aversive effect of glucose. Larval maxillary palpi contained taste sensilla responsive to sucrose and fructose. Silencing sugar receptor AhygGR4 reduced larval feeding preferences for galactose, glucose, and mannose, while knockdown of AhygGR5 abolished feeding selectivity for sucrose, ribose, and galactose. This study elucidates the molecular basis of sugar sensation in A. hygrophila and provides valuable insights for assessing the ecological safety of the introduced biological control agents.
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