Tandem duplication has enabled functional differentiation in an olfactory gene cluster of Anastatus japonicus
- 1State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Guizhou University
- 2Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences
- 3Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University
Abstract
Clustered odorant-binding protein (OBP) genes are observed across insect species, yet the functional principles governing their organization remain elusive. Here, we identify a lineage-specific expansion to 62 OBPs in the generalist egg parasitoid wasp Anastatus japonicus, predominantly organized as tandem arrays on chromosome 4. Focusing on a representative cluster of four tandem duplicates (AjapOBP16–19), integrative analyses reveal this quartet as a partially differentiated chemosensory unit. AjapOBP16/18 show specialized binding toward specific sesquiterpenoids, AjapOBP19 exhibits broad-spectrum binding with preference for aromatics, and AjapOBP17 displays only moderate to low affinity for all tested ligands. This functional divergence is rooted in distinct binding-pocket architectures. Key ligands identified including β-caryophyllene trigger dose-dependent antennal responses and elicit behavioral attraction. RNAi-mediated knockdown confirms that AjapOBP16/18 are collectively required for β-caryophyllene recognition. Our findings reveal that tandem OBP clusters can evolve as cooperative yet partially differentiated modules, providing insights into how gene duplication shapes insect olfaction.
Related
- Gene duplication shaped the origin and evolution of the vertebrate olfactory combinatorial code
- Digestive tract morphology and metallocarboxypeptidase M14 gene family divergence associated with trophic niche differentiation in Odontodactylus japonicus, Lysiosquilla sulcirostris and Oratosquilla oratoria.
- Deciphering the functional roles of glutaredoxin 1 in chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus): implications for antioxidant defense and immune responses
- Staphylococcus aureus‐derived xanthine exacerbates allergic rhinitis‐induced olfactory dysfunction through promoting Th17 cell differentiation and IL‐17A production
- Functional plasticity of the olfactory network following functional septorhinoplasty in persistent COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction: an fMRI study
BibTeX
@article{zhan2026tandem,
title = {{Tandem duplication has enabled functional differentiation in an olfactory gene cluster of Anastatus japonicus}},
author = {Hai-Xia Zhan and Rui Tang and Guy Smagghe and Yi Li and Lian-Sheng Zang},
journal = {Communications Biology},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s42003-026-10649-3},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10649-3},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Tandem duplication has enabled functional differentiation in an olfactory gene cluster of Anastatus japonicus
AU - Hai-Xia Zhan
AU - Rui Tang
AU - Guy Smagghe
AU - Yi Li
AU - Lian-Sheng Zang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Communications Biology
DO - 10.1038/s42003-026-10649-3
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10649-3
AB - Clustered odorant-binding protein (OBP) genes are observed across insect species, yet the functional principles governing their organization remain elusive. Here, we identify a lineage-specific expansion to 62 OBPs in the generalist egg parasitoid wasp Anastatus japonicus, predominantly organized as tandem arrays on chromosome 4. Focusing on a representative cluster of four tandem duplicates (AjapOBP16–19), integrative analyses reveal this quartet as a partially differentiated chemosensory unit. AjapOBP16/18 show specialized binding toward specific sesquiterpenoids, AjapOBP19 exhibits broad-spectrum binding with preference for aromatics, and AjapOBP17 displays only moderate to low affinity for all tested ligands. This functional divergence is rooted in distinct binding-pocket architectures. Key ligands identified including β-caryophyllene trigger dose-dependent antennal responses and elicit behavioral attraction. RNAi-mediated knockdown confirms that AjapOBP16/18 are collectively required for β-caryophyllene recognition. Our findings reveal that tandem OBP clusters can evolve as cooperative yet partially differentiated modules, providing insights into how gene duplication shapes insect olfaction.
SN - 2399-3642
ER -