Antennal Transcriptome of Melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae): Identification of Candidate Chemosensory Genes

The sense of smell, or olfaction, is essential for driving insect behaviours associated with seeking hosts, mating, oviposition and various other activities. The melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), poses a significant threat to agriculture, with its distribution spanning across the Asia-Pacific region and certain areas of Africa. Management strategies centered around olfaction, such as employing para-pheromones for population monitoring and bait-and-kill methods for male reduction, have proven effective in managing the populations of Z. cucurbitae. However, there has been a dearth of information concerning the molecular underpinnings of olfaction in Z. cucurbitae. In the present study, we conducted high-throughput sequencing to sequence and compile the antennal transcriptome of both male and female Z. cucurbitae specimens. Our aim was to identify chemoreception gene families associated with odor detection. Through this analysis, we discovered a total of 137 potential chemosensory genes, encompassing 55 odorant binding proteins (OBPs), 18 pheromone binding proteins (PBPs), 54 odorant receptors (ORs) and 10 ionotropic receptors (IRs). This study lays the groundwork for future research focused on the functional characterization of these chemosensory receptors in Z. cucurbitae at the molecular level, thereby paving the way for the development of enhanced tools for pest management