Shotgun proteomics of chemosensory organs of Varroa destructor mite

Aims of the project is the identification of soluble chemosensory proteins in the olfactory organs of the honeybee mite Varroa destructor. Different families of soluble proteins acting as carriers for odorants have been identified in hexapods, while very limited information is available for other terrestrial Arthropoda. In mites and ticks olfactory organs are located on the distal part of the forelegs and on the capitulum appendages. These two body tagmata and the second pair of legs as control, have been dissected out of phoretics and reproductives Varroa destructor females and protein extracts have been analysed through shotgun proteomics. Protein identification and relative quantification (Label-free quantification, LFQ) has been performed using MaxQuant (version 1.5.8.3). Among the proteins more abundant in appendages bearing chemosensory organs, considering as a model hexapoda soluble olfactory proteins, we have searched for small secreted proteins whose structure include a hydrophobic binding pocket.