Crucial role of a takeout protein in white‐backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) orientation towards its host rice plants

Abstract

The takeout (TO) gene family impacts diverse physiological and behavioral functions in insects, yet specific olfactory‐associated roles for the family have yet to be fully elucidated. To provide insights into TO function in rice planthoppers, the genomes of three rice planthoppers (white‐backed planthopper, brown planthopper and small brown planthopper) were searched for TO homologs and their degree of conservation assessed via chromosomal localization, exon–intron boundaries, phylogenetic relationships and protein domains/motifs. We performed a tissue‐specific expression analysis of the 20 TO genes in the white‐backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera) and found that SfTO17 is enriched in adult antennae. RNAi‐mediated knockdown of SfTO17 impaired WBPH olfaction and reduced host‐seeking responses following exposure to rice plants. The binding profile of β‐ionone, hexyl benzoate and benzyl benzoate with recombinant SfTO17 was evaluated via competitive fluorescence binding assays. Conformational prediction of SfTO17 coupled with molecular docking analyses revealed several amino acid residues potentially critical for odorant binding. This study demonstrates the olfactory function of SfTO17 in WBPH and highlights its potential as a target for controlling this rice pest. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.