Abstract:

To study the tissue-specific expression and quantitative analysis of atypical odorant receptor gene OR2 (orthologue to the Drosophila melanogaster DOR83b) in Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (SexiOR2), the researchs on mRNA expression level and specific of atypical odorant receptor OR2 at different developmental stages in S. exigua were performed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time quantitative PCR). The results indicated that SexiOR2 was expressed in antennae and proboscis of male and female S. exigua. The expression level was the highest in male antennae 36 h after emergence, and was 5.5-fold higher than female antennae. The level of SexiOR2 was very low in proboscis. In this study, the tissue expression pattern and level of SexiOR2 was inferred at different developmental stages.