Functional characterization of the odorant receptor
SinvOR82aX2
from
Solenopsis invicta
Haixin Ma, Ni Fang, Zhibo Zhang, Junyi Wang, Qi Liang, Hao Guo, Li Chen Abstract
BACKGROUND
The red imported fire ant ( Solenopsis invicta ) relies on chemical communication to maintain social organization and ecological dominance. Odorant receptors (ORs) expressed in the antennae are essential for detecting environmental cues, yet the functions of most ORs in S. invicta remain unknown.
RESULTS
We functionally characterized SinvOR82aX2 , an antennally enriched OR, using heterologous expression in Drosophila T1 sensilla combined with single sensillum recording (SSR). We screened 247 ecologically relevant compounds and identified phenylethyl alcohol, an aromatic alcohol emitted by plants and present in aphid honeydew, as the strongest ligand. Molecular docking indicated that phenylethyl alcohol binds to SinvOR82aX2 via hydrogen bonding with SER294 and hydrophobic interactions with Leu298. Electroantennogram recordings showed dose‐dependent antennal responses in workers, with phenylethyl alcohol eliciting stronger responses than several other tested alcohols. Behavioral assays demonstrated significant attraction to phenylethyl alcohol, accompanied by enhanced digging and searching behaviors.
CONCLUSION
SinvOR82aX2 functions as a detector of food resource‐related cues and links phenylethyl alcohol perception to adaptive foraging behavior. These findings provide functional evidence connecting a worker‐enriched OR to food‐associated odorants and advance understanding of the chemosensory mechanisms underlying the ecological adaptability of S. invicta . © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.