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Co-localization of insect olfactory sensory cells improves the discrimination of closely separated odour sources

Binyameen, Muhammad ; Jankuvová, Júlia ; Blazenec, Miroslav ; Jakus, Rastilav ; Song, Lwen ; Schlyter, Fredrik and Andersson, Martin N LU (2014) In Functional Ecology 28(5). p.1216-1223
Abstract
1. The sense of smell is crucial for fitness of most animals, enabling them to find mates, food

and egg laying sites and to stay away from danger. Hence, odour molecules are detected by

sensitive and specific olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). In insects, the OSNs are stereotypically

grouped into olfactory sensilla located mainly on the antennae. The functional significance

of this co-localization principle is poorly understood, but it has been hypothesized that

it allows for coincidence detection of odour filaments, improving discrimination of closely

separated odour sources.

2. Using an insect in its natural environment, we conducted the first experimental test of ... (More)
1. The sense of smell is crucial for fitness of most animals, enabling them to find mates, food

and egg laying sites and to stay away from danger. Hence, odour molecules are detected by

sensitive and specific olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). In insects, the OSNs are stereotypically

grouped into olfactory sensilla located mainly on the antennae. The functional significance

of this co-localization principle is poorly understood, but it has been hypothesized that

it allows for coincidence detection of odour filaments, improving discrimination of closely

separated odour sources.

2. Using an insect in its natural environment, we conducted the first experimental test of the

hypothesis. We manipulated the distance between odour sources of an attractive pheromone

and either of two host-derived attraction antagonists (1,8-cineole and verbenone) and investigated

the effect on trap catches of the bark beetle, Ips typographus (Coleoptera). 1,8-Cineole is

detected by an OSN co-localized with an OSN for one of the pheromone components, while

verbenone is detected by OSNs in other sensilla, not co-localized with pheromone OSNs.

3. Consistent with the hypothesis, trap catch increased with distance between odour sources

more for 1,8-cineole than for verbenone. The strongest effect was found among the males, that

is the sex that first locates and attacks the host tree.

4. Our data from the beetle provide, for the first time, direct experimental support for the

hypothesis that co-localization of OSNs in sensilla improves the discrimination of closely separated

odour sources. Thus, selection for improved odour source discrimination could well be

one of the factors explaining the strict co-localization of OSNs that is seen across the Insecta

class. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Ips typographus, Monoterpene, Odour source spacing, Olfactory receptor neuron, Olfactory sensory neuron, Pheromone antagonist
in
Functional Ecology
volume
28
issue
5
pages
1216 - 1223
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000342615100017
  • scopus:84908286707
ISSN
1365-2435
DOI
10.1111/1365-2435.12252
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b161143f-ef87-4c36-8422-0593ac215c94 (old id 4648565)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:53:22
date last changed
2022-04-28 02:35:04
@article{b161143f-ef87-4c36-8422-0593ac215c94,
  abstract     = {{1. The sense of smell is crucial for fitness of most animals, enabling them to find mates, food<br/><br>
and egg laying sites and to stay away from danger. Hence, odour molecules are detected by<br/><br>
sensitive and specific olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). In insects, the OSNs are stereotypically<br/><br>
grouped into olfactory sensilla located mainly on the antennae. The functional significance<br/><br>
of this co-localization principle is poorly understood, but it has been hypothesized that<br/><br>
it allows for coincidence detection of odour filaments, improving discrimination of closely<br/><br>
separated odour sources.<br/><br>
2. Using an insect in its natural environment, we conducted the first experimental test of the<br/><br>
hypothesis. We manipulated the distance between odour sources of an attractive pheromone<br/><br>
and either of two host-derived attraction antagonists (1,8-cineole and verbenone) and investigated<br/><br>
the effect on trap catches of the bark beetle, Ips typographus (Coleoptera). 1,8-Cineole is<br/><br>
detected by an OSN co-localized with an OSN for one of the pheromone components, while<br/><br>
verbenone is detected by OSNs in other sensilla, not co-localized with pheromone OSNs.<br/><br>
3. Consistent with the hypothesis, trap catch increased with distance between odour sources<br/><br>
more for 1,8-cineole than for verbenone. The strongest effect was found among the males, that<br/><br>
is the sex that first locates and attacks the host tree.<br/><br>
4. Our data from the beetle provide, for the first time, direct experimental support for the<br/><br>
hypothesis that co-localization of OSNs in sensilla improves the discrimination of closely separated<br/><br>
odour sources. Thus, selection for improved odour source discrimination could well be<br/><br>
one of the factors explaining the strict co-localization of OSNs that is seen across the Insecta<br/><br>
class.}},
  author       = {{Binyameen, Muhammad and Jankuvová, Júlia and Blazenec, Miroslav and Jakus, Rastilav and Song, Lwen and Schlyter, Fredrik and Andersson, Martin N}},
  issn         = {{1365-2435}},
  keywords     = {{Coleoptera; Curculionidae; Ips typographus; Monoterpene; Odour source spacing; Olfactory receptor neuron; Olfactory sensory neuron; Pheromone antagonist}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{1216--1223}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Functional Ecology}},
  title        = {{Co-localization of insect olfactory sensory cells improves the discrimination of closely separated odour sources}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12252}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/1365-2435.12252}},
  volume       = {{28}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}