International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024，https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130636

Abstract

In insects, vision is crucial in finding host plants, but its role in nocturnal insects is largely unknown. Vision involves responses to specific spectra of photon wavelengths and opsins plays an important role in this process. Long-wavelength sensitive opsin (LW opsin) and blue-sensitive opsin (BL opsin) are main visual opsin proteins and play important in behavior regulation.We used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to mutate the long-wavelength-sensitive and blue wavelength-sensitive genes and explored the role of vision in the nocturnal invasive pest  Tuta absoluta . Light wave experiments revealed that  LW2 (−/−) and  BL (−/−) mutants showed abnormal wavelength tropism. Both  LW2  and  BL  mutations affected the preference of  T. absoluta  for the green environment. Mutations in  LW2  and  BL  are necessary to inhibit visual attraction. The elimination of  LW2  and  BL  affected the preference of leaf moths for green plants, and mutations in both induced a preference in moths for white plants. Behavioral changes resulting from  LW2 (−/−) and  BL (−/−) mutants were not affected by sense of smell, further supporting the regulatory role of vision in insect behavior. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal that vision, not smell, plays an important role in the host-seeking behavior of nocturnal insects at night, of which  LW2  and  BL  opsins are key regulatory factors. These study findings will drive the development of the “vision-ecology” theory.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules，IF=8.2 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141813024014399?via%3Dihub