The Antennal Sensilla and Expression Patterns of Olfactory Genes in the Lower Termite Reticulitermes aculabialis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

The insect olfactory system plays pivotal roles in insect survival and reproduction through odor detection. Morphological and physiological adaptations are caste-specific and evolved independently in workers, soldiers, and reproductives in termites. However, it is unclear whether the olfactory system is involved in the division of labor in termite colonies. In the present study, the antennal sensilla of alates, workers, soldiers, nymphs, and larvae of the termite Reticulitermes aculabialis Tsai et Hwang ( Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) were investigated. Transcriptomes were used to detect olfactory genes, and differential expression levels of olfactory genes were confirmed in various castes by qRT–PCR analysis. Nine types of sensilla were identified on the antennae of R. aculabialis, and soldiers possessed all 9 types. In 89,475 assembled unigenes, we found 16 olfactory genes, including 6 chemosensory protein (CSP) and 10 odorant-binding protein (OBP) genes. These OBP genes included 8 general odorant-binding protein genes (GOBPs) and 2 pheromone-binding protein-related protein (PBP) genes. Five CSP genes were more highly expressed in alates than in workers, soldiers, larvae, and nymphs, and the expression levels of CSP6 were significantly higher in nymphs. Seven GOBP and two PBP genes exhibited significantly higher expression levels in alates, and there were no significant differences in the expression levels of GOBP2 among workers, soldiers, alates, and larvae. These results suggest that alates, as primary reproductives, have unique expression patterns of olfactory genes, which play key roles in nuptial flight, mate seeking, and new colony foundation.