烟夜蛾性信息素结合蛋白2(PBP2)基因的克隆、序列分析与时空表达

性信息素结合蛋白（pheromone binding proteins, PBPs）在昆虫雌雄间信息交流中起着重要作用。 本研究利用RT-PCR和RACE方法, 从烟夜蛾Helicoverpa assulta (Guenée)雄虫触角中克隆了性信息素结合蛋白2基因的开放阅读框及3′末端序列, 该基因被命名为HassPBP2(GenBank登录号为EU316186)。克隆和测序结果表明, HassPBP2开放阅读框全长450 bp, 编码149个氨基酸残基, 推测编码蛋白的分子量为16.9 kD, 等电点为5.56。HassPBP2基因结构分析表明, 该基因由3个外显子和2个内含子组成, 内含子的长度分别为90和261 bp。氨基酸序列联配分析表明, 此序列具有气味结合蛋白的典型特征, 与其他鳞翅目昆虫PBPs的一致性在34%~91%之间, 其中与棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera PBP2和烟芽夜蛾Heliothis virescens PBP2的序列一致性高达91%。时间表达和组织表达分析显示, HassPBP2在卵期、幼虫期和蛹早期不表达, 在蛹中期开始表达, 并一直持续到成虫中期, 且只在雌、雄成虫触角中表达。     

荔枝蒂蛀虫信息素结合蛋白基因序列及表达分析

【目的】获得荔枝蒂蛀虫Conopomorpha sinensis 3个信息素结合蛋白(PBP)基因的全长序列,并分析序列和表达特征,为更好地利用性信息素防治该虫提供必要的基础。【方法】提取荔枝蒂蛀虫触角总RNA,利用转录组测序结果和RACE-PCR技术获得3个PBP基因的全长序列;对序列进行生物信息学分析,用I-TASSER在线软件建立蛋白三维模型,用TM-align软件进行同源建模,用COACH软件推测蛋白的结合位点;用荧光定量PCR方法分析这3个基因在不同龄期(幼虫和蛹)和3日龄雌雄成虫不同组织[触角、头(去除触角)、胸、腹、足和翅]中的表达谱。【结果】从荔枝蒂蛀虫触角中克隆了3个PBP基因的全长序列,分别命名为Csin PBP1,Csin PBP2和Csin PBP3(Gen Bank登录号:MF093145,MF093146和MF093147)。序列分析结果表明,这3个基因的编码蛋白具有昆虫气味结合蛋白的典型特征,并且Csin PBP1与紫色卷蛾Yponomeuta cagnagellus PBP的氨基酸序列一致性达72%,Csin PBP2与小菜蛾Plutella xylostella PBP1的氨基酸序列一致性达55%,Csin PBP3与水稻大螟Sesamia inferens PBP3的氨基酸序列一致性达39%。软件模拟分析表明,Csin PBP1,Csin PBP2和Csin PBP3蛋白的三维结构分别与家蚕Bombyx mori普通气味结合蛋白2(GOBP2)(PDB:2wc6A)、脐橙螟Amyetois transitetella PBP1(PDB:4inx A)和家蚕PBP(PDB:2p70A)相似度最高,分别预测得到10,7和8个结合位点。表达谱分析显示,3个基因均只在成虫触角中表达,在幼虫期和蛹期不表达,在成虫头(去除触角)、胸、腹、足和翅中也不表达,且在雄虫触角中的表达量分别是雌虫中表达量的1.94,28.19和32.94倍。【结论】获得荔枝蒂蛀虫3个PBP基因的全长序列,序列和表达分析结果提示这3个基因与雄虫感受性信息素有关。     

烟实夜蛾信息素结合蛋白3 cDNA的克隆、序列分析与原核表达

利用RT-PCR技术从烟实夜蛾Helicoverpa assulta (Hass) 雄虫触角中扩增得到了信息素结合蛋白3(Hass PBP3)。克隆和测序结果表明,该基因核苷酸序列全长495 bp,编码164个氨基酸残基,预测分子量18.5 kD。并预测N-末端疏水区包含由22个氨基酸组成的信号肽。因此,成熟蛋白应包括142个氨基酸,预测分子量为16.1 kD,等电点为5.44。经氨基酸序列同源性分析发现,此序列与已知昆虫PBP3有较高的同源性,而且具有气味结合蛋白的典型特征。将该基因重组到表达载体pGEX-4T-2中进行原核表达。经IPTG诱导、SDS-PAGE分析和Western印迹检测,结果表明烟实夜蛾PBP3基因能在大肠杆菌BL21中表达,电泳检测到一条大约42 kD的外源蛋白,与预测的融合蛋白分子量相符。     

斜纹夜蛾信息素结合蛋白SlitPBP4的分子克隆、组织表达谱及结合特性分析

【目的】鉴定斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura新的信息素结合蛋白(pheromone binding protein,PBP)基因,明确其在斜纹夜蛾不同组织中的表达水平并探讨其功能。【方法】基于已报道的烟草天蛾Manduca sexta、家蚕Bombyx mori、君主斑蝶Danaus plexippus和庆网蛱蝶Melitaea cinxia 4种非夜蛾科昆虫PBP4同源基因的序列特点及与其他PBP基因在染色体上的相邻关系,通过分析实验室先前克隆到的斜纹夜蛾PBP/GOBP基因序列,克隆斜纹夜蛾PBP4同源基因;通过RT-PCR和q PCR技术测定该基因在斜纹夜蛾雌雄成虫不同组织中的表达水平;利用体外表达和荧光竞争性结合实验测定斜纹夜蛾PBP4蛋白对性信息素组分和植物气味物质的结合能力。【结果】在夜蛾科昆虫斜纹夜蛾中鉴定到首个PBP4基因,命名为Slit PBP4(Gen Bank登录号:MG356847),c DNA编码210个氨基酸,具有N末端信号肽、疏水性气味分子结合域及6个保守半胱氨酸等PBP的典型序列特征,其基因组DNA在保守位置也含有2个内含子;但和已报道的斜纹夜蛾3个PBP相比,PBP4的C末端明显较长。Slit PBP4在雄成虫腹部(生殖系统)极高表达,在雌雄成虫触角及其他组织中仅微弱表达或不表达。荧光竞争性结合实验结果表明,Slit PBP4蛋白与被测定的信息素组分及植物气味物质均没有明显结合能力。【结论】报道了夜蛾科昆虫的首个PBP4基因,该基因可能主要参与雄虫生殖相关的生理过程而非嗅觉功能。     

一个新的家蚕转录相关锌带蛋白基因的克隆及序列分析

锌带蛋白(zinc ribbon protein )是锌指类蛋白的一种,它的Cys4 Zn(2+)结合位点由3个β₂片层折叠而成,而不是α螺旋结构。锌带结构与锌指结构同为转录因子结合核酸的结构域,锌带蛋白作为转录相关因子在调节基因表达活性等方面具有重要作用。在对家蚕 Bombyx mori蛹cDNA文库测序中,发现一个新的编码家蚕锌带蛋白基因的EST序列（GenBank 登录号DY230964）,以此序列为信息探针检索家蚕EST数据库,通过同源筛选,获得一个新的家蚕锌带蛋白基因cDNA全序列并经RT-PCR检测和克隆、测序验证,结果表明与电子克隆序列完全一致。我们将其命名为 BmZNRD1 (Zinc Ribbon Domain Containing 1)（GenBank登录号DQ432055）。该基因全长为675 bp,由363 bp的开放阅读框序列(ORF)、10 bp的5′端非翻译区序列(5′UTR)和302 bp 的3′端非编码区序列(3′ UTR)组成,其编码的120个氨基酸序列与其他真核生物间具有较高的同源性（达60%左右）,预测分子量为13.54 kD, 等电点为6.8。BmZNRD1编码的氨基酸序列是一种锌带蛋白,推测有2个功能结构域,分别是位于N-端的Cx₂Cx₁₄Cx₂C和C-端的Cx₂Cx₂₄Cx₂C,其中C-端保守氨基酸序列Cx₂Cx₆Yx₃QxRSADEx₂TxFx₂Cx₂C在生物进化中保守性很高,从酵母、果蝇、线虫到两栖类、哺乳类都有发现该结构域的存在,与酵母RNA聚合酶A亚单位9和转录相关蛋白有很高的相似性,推测其具有相同的功能。将BmZNRD1基因cDNA序列与家蚕基因组序列进行比对,结果表明该基因具有3个外显子,2个内含子,外显子/内含子边界符合经典的GT-AG规则。 关键词： 家蚕; 锌带蛋白基因; 电子克隆; 基因克隆; 序列分析     

桃蛀螟性信息素结合蛋白CpunPBP3的表达模式及性信息素结合特性(英文)

【目的】本研究旨在对桃蛀螟Conogethes punctiferalis性信息素结合蛋白CpunPBP3进行鉴定和定性分析,完善对桃蛀螟性信息素感受机制的理解。【方法】扩增、分析桃蛀螟CpunPBP3的cDNA序列,并与其他草螟科昆虫的同源蛋白氨基酸序列进行比较。利用qRT-PCR测定桃蛀螟不同日龄雄成虫触角中CpunPBP3的表达量变化,以及该基因表达的昼夜波动;以性信息素反-10-十六碳烯醛(E10-16∶Ald)(150 ng)和顺-10-十六碳烯醛(Z10-16∶Ald)(6 ng)对雄成虫进行诱导,并检测诱导后24 h内不同时间节点时触角中CpunPBP3的表达量。构建重组表达载体pET-30a(+)/CpunPBP3,通过大肠杆菌Escherichia coli表达获得重组蛋白,并通过荧光竞争实验检测纯化重组蛋白CpunPBP3与上述2种性信息素成分的结合能力。【结果】系统发育分析结果显示,CpunPBP3与已经鉴定的桃蛀螟PBP基因CpunPBP2和CpunPBP5分布在不同分支中,但与其他昆虫物种的PBP基因亲缘关系较近;qRT-PCR结果表明,雄成虫触角中CpunPBP3的表达量在羽化后0-8 d呈先升高后下降的趋势,24 h光周期内17∶00时的表达量显著高于1∶00时的,其余时间节点间的表达量无显著差异;150 ng的E10-16∶Ald诱导3和6 h后的表达量显著下降,6 ng的Z10-16∶Ald诱导6和24 h后的表达量显著增加。荧光竞争结合实验结果表明,CpunPBP3重组蛋白与性信息素E10-16∶Ald和Z10-16∶Ald均有强结合能力,K_i值分别为9.267和8.656 μmol/L。【结论】本研究明确了CpunPBP3的核苷酸和氨基酸序列及其表达模式,能够响应性信息素的诱导而表达,而且CpunPBP3重组蛋白能够很好地结合性信息素,表明CpunPBP3是桃蛀螟的一条性信息素结合蛋白。     

一种新的家蚕信息素相关蛋白基因BmP218的生物信息学分析及功能预测

在进行抑制性减法杂交实验中,我们获得一条差异基因片段,EST拼接终获得了这一个654bp ORF阅读框,NCBI数据库检索未发现同源基因.但在家蚕数据库检索有同源基因存在为一种信息素相关的结合蛋白,PCR实验结果表明该基因确实在家蚕多种组织中存在转录,证明是一种新的基因,暂命名为BmP218.进一步生物信息学分析表明该定位在家蚕的第23号染色体上,有7个外显子.其同源物物有8个,虽然基因结构不同,但结构域非常相似.蛋白质分析中发现蛋白结构中包含有6个α螺旋,12个不规则卷曲,在氨基酸序列中存在有一段与昆虫细小病毒表壳蛋白类似的区域(100-183).     

甘蓝中BcpLH同源基因的克隆及其表达分析

根据大白菜BcpLH基因设计引物 ,用PCR方法从甘蓝结球期的茎尖组织中克隆到了大白菜BcpLH基因的同源基因BoLH1。序列分析表明 ,BoLH1基因含有 3个内含子 ,cDNA编码 2 45个氨基酸 ,编码的蛋白中存在两个双链RNA结合蛋白结构域 ;Southern杂交结果显示在甘蓝基因组有 1个以上的BoLH1基因拷贝。PCR表达分析表明 ,甘蓝BoLH1同源基因主要在结球期的茎尖组织、球叶和包叶中表达。推测BoLH1基因同BcpLH基因一样以双链RNA结合蛋白的形式在包叶的形成和球叶的发育过程中起作用     

家蚕蛹和成虫期GOBP/PBP亚家族基因簇基因定位与表达分析

昆虫的气味结合蛋白（odorant binding proteins, OBPs）在昆虫与外界环境化学信息交流过程中起着重要作用, 对昆虫觅食、求偶、繁殖具有重要意义。普通气味结合蛋白/性信息素结合蛋白（general odorant binding protein/ pheromone binding protein, GOBP/PBP）是鳞翅目昆虫OBP家族的一个重要单系群。为进一步明确家蚕Bombyx mori GOBP/PBP基因的结构、表达及功能, 本研究利用染色体定位及半定量表达分析方法对其进行了分析。染色体定位分析显示, 这些基因以基因簇的形式存在于第19染色体的nscaf3052上, 基因结构相似, 转录方向一致, 表明这些基因可能由同源基因复制产生, 并具有类似功能。对家蚕蛹和成虫不同发育阶段的雌、雄虫多种组织中进行表达分析发现, 这些基因的表达在不同发育时期和不同组织间差异明显（P<0.05）, 相对表达量均以触角中为最高, 其他非嗅觉组织中也多有表达, 性别间差异不大, 说明了该基因簇基因除了具有嗅觉相关的功能外, 很可能具有其他尚未被发现的功能。     

枳壳CBF转录激活因子基因片段的克隆

根据不同植物CBF同源基因的保守区设计合成简并引物,采用PCR技术首次从枳壳基因组中分离出一个DNA片段并克隆到pMD18-T载体中.序列测定和分析表明,该片段长464bp,与拟南芥3个CBF基因的核酸序列及其推导的氨基酸序列分别具有79%和67%～69%的同源性,而且推导的氨基酸序列含有同源性更高的AP2DNA结合域和CBF蛋白的两段特征序列PKK/RPAGRxKFxETRHP和DSAWR.结果 表明,本研究克隆的片段为枳壳CBF基因片段.     

Disulfide structure of the pheromone binding protein from the silkworm moth, Bombyx mori

Disulfide bond formation is the only known posttranslational modification of insect pheromone binding proteins (PBPs). In the PBPs from moths (Lepidoptera), six cysteine residues are highly conserved at positions 19, 50, 54, 97, 108 and 117, but to date nothing is known about their respective linkage or redox status. We used a multiple approach of enzymatic digestion, chemical cleavage, partial reduction with Tris-(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, followed by digestion with endoproteinase Lys-C to determine the disulfide connectivity in the PBP from Bombyx mori (BmPBP). Identification of the reaction products by on-line liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) and protein sequencing supported the assignment of disulfide bridges at Cys-19-Cys-54, Cys-50-Cys-108 and Cys-97-Cys-117. The disulfide linkages were identical in the protein obtained by periplasmic expression in Escherichia coli and in the native BmPBP.     

Three pheromone-binding proteins in olfactory sensilla of the two silkmoth species Antheraea polyphemus and Antheraea pernyi.

Females of the sibling silkmoth species Antheraea polyphemus and A. pernyi use the same three sex pheromone components in different ratios to attract conspecific males. Accordingly, the sensory hairs on the antennae of males contain three receptor cells sensitive to each of the pheromone components. In agreement with the number of pheromones used, three different pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) could be identified in pheromone-sensitive hairs of both species by combining biochemical and molecular cloning techniques. MALDI-TOF MS of sensillum lymph droplets from pheromone-sensitive sensilla trichodea of male A. polyphemus revealed the presence of three major peaks with m/z of 15702, 15752 and 15780 and two minor peaks of m/z 15963 and 15983. In Western blots with four antisera raised against different silkmoth odorant-binding proteins, immunoreactivity was found only with an anti-(Apol PBP) serum. Free-flow IEF, ion-exchange chromatography and Western blot analyses revealed at least three anti-(Apol PBP) immunoreactive proteins with pI values between 4.4 and 4.7. N-Terminal sequencing of these three proteins revealed two proteins (Apol PBP1a and Apol PBP1b) identical in the first 49 amino acids to the already known PBP (Apol PBP1) [Raming, K. , Krieger, J. & Breer, H. (1989) FEBS Lett. 256, 2215-2218] and a new PBP having only 57% identity with this amino-acid region. Screening of antennal cDNA libraries with an oligonucleotide probe corresponding to the N-terminal end of the new A. polyphemus PBP, led to the discovery of full length clones encoding this protein in A. polyphemus (Apol PBP3) and in A. pernyi (Aper PBP3). By screening the antennal cDNA library of A. polyphemus with a digoxigenin-labelled A. pernyi PBP2 cDNA [Krieger, J., Raming, K. & Breer, H. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1088, 277-284] a homologous PBP (Apol PBP2) was cloned. Binding studies with the two main pheromone components of A. polyphemus and A. pernyi, the (E,Z)-6, 11-hexadecadienyl acetate (AC1) and the (E,Z)-6,11-hexadecadienal (ALD), revealed that in A. polyphemus both Apol PBP1a and the new Apol PBP3 bound the 3H-labelled acetate, whereas no binding of the 3H-labelled aldehyde was found. In A. pernyi two PBPs from sensory hair homogenates showed binding affinity for the AC1 (Aper PBP1) and the ALD (Aper PBP2), respectively.     

Pheromone binding proteins of Epiphyas postvittana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) are encoded at a single locus

The light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Tortricidae: Lepidoptera) uses a blend of (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate and (E,E)-9,11-tetradecadienyl acetate as its sex pheromone. Odorant binding proteins, abundant in the antennae of male and female E. postvittana, were separated by native PAGE to reveal four major proteins with distinct mobilities. Microsequencing of their N-terminal residues showed that two were general odorant binding proteins (GOBPs) while two were pheromone binding proteins (PBPs). Full length cDNAs encoding these proteins were amplified using a combination of PCR and RACE-PCR. Sequence of the GOBPs revealed two genes (EposGOBP1, EposGOBP2), similar to orthologues in other species of Lepidoptera. Eleven cDNAs of the PBP gene were amplified, cloned and sequenced revealing two major phylogenetic clusters of PBP sequences differing by six amino acid substitutions. The position of the six amino acid differences on the protein was predicted by mapping onto the three-dimensional structure of PBP of Bombyx mori. All six substitutions were predicted to fall on the outside of the protein away from the inner pheromone binding pocket. One substitution does fall close to the putative dimerisation region of the protein (Ser63Thr). Expression of three of the cDNAs in a baculovirus expression system revealed that one class encodes an electrophoretically slow form (EposPBP1-12) while the other encodes a fast form (EposPBP1-2, EposPBP1-3). A native Western of these expressed proteins compared with antennal protein extracts demonstrated that PBP is also expressed in female antennae and that PBP may be present as a dimer as well as a monomer in E. postvittana. The fast and slow forms of EposPBP1 are allelic. Westerns on single antennal pair protein extracts and allele-specific PCR from genomic DNA both show a segregating pattern of inheritance in laboratory and wild populations. Radio labelled (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate binds to both fast and slow PBP forms in gel assays. Taken together, the genetic and biochemical data do not support the hypothesis that these PBPs are specific for each component of the E. postvittana pheromone. However, duplication of this PBP locus in the future might allow such diversification to evolve, as observed in the other species.     

Molecular characterization and evolution of pheromone binding protein genes in Agrotis moths

Pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are soluble transporter proteins that increase the capture and the solubilization of pheromone molecules in the lymph surrounding the olfactory receptors. A polymerase chain reaction-based method was used to identify PBP genes in Agrotis species for an evolutionary genomic study of noctuid moth PBPs. From genomic DNA we determined the structure of different PBP genes in the two closely related species, Agrotis ipsilon and A. segetum. In all, we clearly identified four genes (Aips-1, Aips-2, Aseg-1 and Aseg-2) that represent two distinct PBP orthology groups. We found that the four genes have the same exon-intron structure and that they comprise three exons and two introns but differ in length mainly in the second intron. The three exons of Aseg-2 and Aips-2 have the same lengths but both intron 1 and intron 2 differ in length between the genes. In contrast, Aips-1 and Aseg-1 show dissimilarity only in the length of intron 2. Interestingly, introns 1 and 2 are inserted in the same positions in the Aips-1, Aips-2, Aseg-1 and Aseg-2 genes. These findings show that the Agrotis PBP genes have common ancestry and probably originate from gene duplication before the speciation of ipsilon and segetum. We found that expression of Aips-1/Aseg-1 and Aips-2/Aseg-2 is antennal-specific, but expression is not restricted to the male antennae.     

CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated PBP1 and PBP3 mutagenesis induced significant reduction in electrophysiological response to sex pheromones in male Chilo suppressalis

Pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are thought to bind and transport sex pheromones onto the olfactory receptors on the dendrite membrane of olfactory neurons, and thus play a vital role in sex pheromone perception. However, the function of PBPs has rarely been demonstrated in vivo.In this study, two PBPs (PBP1 and PBP3) of Chilo suppressalis, one of the most notorious pyralid pests, were in vivo functionally characterized using insects with the PBP gene knocked out by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. First, through direct injection of PBP-single guide RNA (sgRNA)/Cas9 messenger RNA into newly laid eggs, a high rate of target-gene editing (checked with polled eggs) was induced at 24 h after injection, 21.3% for PBPl-sgRNA injected eggs and 19.5% for PBP3-sgRNA injected eggs. Second, by an in-crossing strategy, insects with mutant PBP1 or PBP3 (both with a premature stop codon) were screened and homozygous mutants were obtained in the G3 generation. Third, the mutant insects were measured for electroantennogram (EAG) response to female sex pheromones. As a result, both PBP mutant males displayed significant reduction in EAG response, and this reduction in PBP1 mutants was higher than that in PBP3 mutants, indicating a more important role of PBP1. Finally, the relative importance of two PBPs and the possible off target effect induced by sgRNA-injection are discussed. Taken together, our study provides a deeper insight into the function of and interaction between different PBP genes in sex pheromone perception of C. suppressalis, as well as a valuable reference in methodology for gene functional study in other genes and other moth species.     

Pheromone‐binding proteins in the Asian gypsy moth females,Lymantria dispar,recognizing the sex pheromone and plant volatiles

Lepidopterans are known to have different pheromone‐binding proteins with differential expression patterns that facilitate specific signal transduction of semiochemicals. Two PBPs of the Asian gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, were reported to express in both females and males, but their physiological functions were unknown. Results showed that LdisPBP1 and LdisPBP2 were expressed in the sensilla trichodea of males and the s. trichodea and s. basiconica of females. When LdisPBP1 gene was targeted by RNA interference (RNAi) in males, the expression of LdisPBP1 and LdisPBP2 decreased by 69 and 76%, respectively, and when LdisPBP2 gene was targeted by RNAi, they decreased by 60 and 42%, respectively. In females, after treatment with LdisPBP1 dsRNA, LdisPBP1 and LdisPBP2 levels were reduced by 26 and 69%, respectively, and LdisPBP2 dsRNA reduced the relative expression of them by 4 and 62%, respectively. The expression of LdisPBP1 and LdisPBP2 was interdependent. Electroantennogram (EAG) recordings showed that LdisPBPs participate in the recognition of the sex pheromone in males, and the sex pheromone and plant volatiles in females. The function of LdisPBPs represents the sex‐specific roles.     

NMR structure of the unliganded Bombyx mori pheromone-binding protein at physiological pH

The nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the unliganded pheromone-binding protein (PBP) from Bombyx mori at pH above 6.5, BmPBP(B), consists of seven helices with residues 3-8, 16-22, 29-32, 46-59, 70-79, 84-100, and 107-124, and contains the three disulfide bridges 19-54, 50-108, and 97-117. This polypeptide fold encloses a large hydrophobic cavity, with a sufficient volume to accommodate the natural ligand bombykol. The polypeptide folds in free BmPBP(B) and in crystals of a BmPBP-bombykol complex are nearly identical, indicating that the B-form of BmPBP in solution represents the active conformation for ligand binding.     

Olfaction in the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar: effect of pH, ionic strength, and reductants on pheromone transport by pheromone-binding proteins

The pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are 16-kDa abundant proteins in specialized olfactory hairs in insects. The mechanism by which the PBPs remove the pheromone from the inner surface of sensory hairs and deliver it to the sensory cell remains unclear. Existing qualitative models postulate that pheromone is released near the dendrite by a decrease in pH or by a reduced form of the PBP. This study focuses on the two PBPs from the gypsy moth and the enantiomers of the pheromone cis-2-methyl-7,8-epoxyoctadecane. The pH dependence of pheromone binding has revealed three ionizations that are important. The type of ligand influences two of these ionizations. We propose that the (-)-enantiomer of the pheromone interacts with one of the ionizable residues on the protein while the (+)-enantiomer does not. Simultaneous variation of pH and KCl concentration in the physiological range or reduction of disulfide bridges does not change the affinity of PBP for pheromone. We propose a revised model of pheromone transport from the inner surface of the sensory hair to the sensory neuron.