Affiliation:
1. Department of Entomology and MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection China Agricultural University Beijing China
2. State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
Abstract
AbstractBACKGROUNDOmnivores, including humans, have an inborn tendency to avoid risky or non‐nutritious foods. However, relatively little is known about how animals perceive and discriminate nutritious foods from risky substances. In this study, we explored the mechanism of feeding selection in Ostrinia furnacalis larvae, one of the most destructive pests to the maize crop.RESULTSWe identified a gustatory receptor, Gr43a, for feeding regulation in larvae of Ostrinia furnacalis, which highly expresses in the mouthparts of the first‐ (the period of just hatching out from eggs) and fifth‐instar larvae (the period of gluttony). The Gr43a regulates foraging plasticity by discriminating sorbitol, a nonsweet nutritious substance, and sucralose, a sweet non‐nutritious substance through the labra of mouthparts, while it differentiates fructose/sucrose and sucralose via the sensilla styloconica of mouthparts. Specially, Gr43a responds to fructose and sucrose via the medial and lateral sensilla styloconica in O. furnacalis, respectively. Furthermore, Gr43a is negatively regulated by the neuropeptide F system, a homologous mammalian neuropeptide Y system.CONCLUSIONThis study reveals a smart feeding strategy for animals to meet both nutritional needs and sweet gratification, and offers an insight into complex feeding selections dependent on food resources in the surrounding environment. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Subject
Insect Science,Agronomy and Crop Science,General Medicine