中华蜜蜂信息素结合蛋白ASP1 cDNA的克隆及时空表达

信息素结合蛋白（pheromone binding proteins, PBPs）在昆虫信息素的识别、传递和处理过程中具有重要作用。本研究首次克隆了中华蜜蜂Apis cerana cerana的一个PBP基因Ac-ASP1（GenBank序列号为DQ449670），其预测蛋白具有典型的气味结合蛋白（OBPs）标志（即成熟肽含有6个保守的半胱氨酸）。利用real-time PCR技术对Ac-ASP1在中蜂不同组织和发育历期的时空表达谱进行了鉴定。绝对定量结果显示Ac-ASP1高丰度地表达于工蜂触角（2.07×10⁶ 拷贝数/μg），而在其他组织（如头、胸、腹、翅及足）中呈低丰度表达（10²拷贝数/μg）； 相对定量结果显示Ac-ASP1在各发育历期如幼虫、蛹以及成虫发育早期（1～6日龄）均有大量表达，而在21日龄前后具有另外一个高丰度表达时期。这些结果可为明确Ac-ASP1在中蜂蜂王信息素信号识别传递过程中的作用提供参考。

Cloning and spatio-temporal expression of cDNA encoding pheromone binding protein ASP1 in Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) play an important role in recognition, transmission and processing of insect pheromones. In this study, a cDNA named Ac-ASP1 encoding a PBP was cloned (from the Chinese native honeybee, Apis cerana cerana. The predicted protein has six conservative cysteines in mature peptide, a typical symbol of odorant binding proteins (OBPs). The sequence had been submitted into GenBank and registered is the accession no. DQ449670. The profile of spatio-temporal expression of Ac-ASP1 was identified by real-time PCR. The results of absolute quantitation showed that Ac-ASP1 was expressed at a higher level in antenna (2.07×10⁶ copy number/μg), but at a less level in other tissues including head, thorax, abdomen, wings and legs (10.2 copy number/μg); while the results of relative quantitation revealed that Ac-ASP1 was expressed in two high abundance periods: from larva to the 6th day of adult and around the 21st day of adult. These results may provide the reference to ascertain the function of Ac-ASP1 involved in signal recognition and transmission of queen pheromone.