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Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Protocols for CRISPR/Cas9 Mutagenesis of the Oriental Fruit Fly Bactrocera dorsalis
Published on: September 28, 2022
BdorOR49a and BdorOR63a are responsible for male pheromones perception in the oriental fruit fly
Fu Cao1, Hongfei Li1, Bao Dong1
1Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
Abstract:
The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis is a serious fruit pest. Trimethylpyrazine (TMP) and tetramethylpyrazine (TTMP) were characterized as its male released sex pheromone, which showed strong attraction to sexually mature females. So far, the molecular basis of the perception of TMP and TTMP by the females has remained unknown. In this study, using BdorIR8a-/- and BdorOrco-/- mutants, we demonstrated that the perception of TMP and TTMP is mediated by odorant receptors (ORs). Furthermore, we generated transgenic Drosophila expressing two odorant receptors (BdorOR49a and BdorOR63a previously showed in vitro binding ability to TMP and TTMP, respectively) in T1 neurons. Subsequent single sensillum recordings (SSR) of the transgenic fly demonstrated that BdorOR49a and BdorOR63a are tuned to TMP and TTMP, respectively. Furthermore, knockout of BdorOR49a and knockdown of BdorOR63a in vivo reduced the olfactory sensitivity of the females to TMP and TTMP. Our results indicated that BdorOR49a and BdorOR63a are responsible for the perception of the male released sex pheromones in B. dorsalis.
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