This study employed transcriptomics to screen and functionally annotate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across different growth and development stages of the Illiberis pruni, aiming to identify key genes and signaling pathways associated with its growth and development. High-throughput sequencing technology Illumina HiSeq^TM 2000 was used to detect the transcriptomic differences in larvae, pupae and adults of the I. pruni, and DEGs after sequencing were verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The results showed that a total of 80 528 Unigenes were obtained from the transcriptome data, among which 21 743 Unigene with a length of more than 1 kb were obtained, 25 643 Unigenes were annotated in the seven major databases, and 12 DEGs across different growth and development stages were identified, with RNA-Seq results consistent with RT-qPCR data. The results of this study will expand the growth and development gene database of the I. pruni, and further provide data support for its research at the molecular level.

The identification and analysis of sex pheromone synthase genes in Illiberis pruni provided a theoretical basis for exploring the molecular mechanisms of sex pheromone synthesis. Based on transcriptome data from the abdomens of both sexes and female wings of I. pruni, sex pheromone synthase genes were screened and identified followed by bioinformatics analysis. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression patterns of these genes in different tissues of male and female adults. A total of 21 sex pheromone synthase genes were identified (3 Dess, 2 FARs, 1 FAS, 10 ACTs, 3 ACCs and 2 ARs), and bioinformatics analysis revealed that these genes had significant variation in protein molecular weight, suggesting that they were unstable proteins. Subcellular localization analysis showed that the corresponding proteins were mainly located in the cytoplasm and mitochondria. Based on the phylogenetic tree results, it was inferred that the ACCs genes and ACTs genes of I. pruni were closely related to the sex pheromone-related genes of Streltzoviella insularis and Danaus plexippus. RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that 16 genes exhibited female-biased expression in the wings, 7 genes were highly expressed in the female abdomen, and 2 genes showed male-biased expression in the male thorax. These research findings provided a foundation for the functional study of sex pheromone-related genes in I. pruni.