Profiling of Formosan termite odorant/hormone–regulating gene expression in response to juvenile hormone III

Eight odorant/hormone binding protein (OBP) genes were identified in a Coptotermes formosanus EST library. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that six out of the eight OBP genes were expressed more than 2 fold higher in the termite soldiers than in the workers while there were markedly differences in the expression levels among the eight OBPs in both workers and soldiers. The expression profiles changed differentially in workers with or without the present of soldiers after fed with juvenile hormone (JH) III. The relative transcript abundance of two hexamarin genes, two esterase/lipase genes and one cellulase gene also showed changes in response to the ingestion of JH III.