Antennal transcriptome analysis reveals sensory receptors potentially associated with host detection in the livestock pest Lucilia cuprina

Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a major pest of sheep in Australia and New Zealand. The objectives of the present work were: 1) to evaluate the olfactory response of L. cuprina adults of both sexes to bovine beef under two different decomposition stages; 2) to identify sensory receptors expressed in the antenna of L. cuprina adults of both sexes; 3) to identify sensory receptors potentially associated with host detection. To complete these aims, an olfaction assay in combination with an antenna RNA-Seq experiment was performed; for this purpose, L. cuprina mated males and two types of gravid females, attracted and non-attracted to 5-day-old decomposed beef were used. Sensory receptors expressed in the antenna of each group were identified, and which of them were differentially expressed between the groups was determined.