Work

BarH2 regulates odorant binding protein 6 expression to mediate 2,3‐butanediol recognition in female Callosobruchus chinensis

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The insect olfactory system plays an important role in guiding chemical-driven behaviors, such as host selection, oviposition, and mating. Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) serve as a bridge for transmitting chemical signals in insects; however, the transcriptional regulation of their expression patterns remains unknown. RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that CchiBarH2 regulates the expression of CchiOBP6, mediating the olfactory recognition of female Callosobruchus chinensis for 2,3-butanediol. CchiBarH2 directly bound to the promoter region of CchiOBP6 and enhanced the transcriptional activity of CchiOBP6 in vitro using a dual-luciferase reporter system and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). RNAi-mediated silencing of CchiBarH2 significantly decreased the expression level of CchiOBP6, weakened the electrophysiological responses, and the attraction of C. chinensis females to 2,3-butanediol disappeared simultaneously. CONCLUSION: These results revealed that CchiBarH2 regulated the expression of CchiOBP6, thereby mediating the EAG and behavioral responses of female C. chinensis to 2,3-butanediol. These findings also provide potential molecular targets for disrupting olfactory-driven behaviors in agricultural pest management. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Source: Pest Management Science

DOI: 10.1002/ps.70943