Molecular characterization of a new adult male putative calycin specific to tergal aphrodisiac secretion in the cockroach Leucophaea maderae

Lma‐p18 is an epicuticular surface protein specific to the tergal gland aphrodisiac secretion of Leucophaea maderae adult males. Native Lma‐p18 was purified and the complete cDNA sequence was determined by RT‐PCR using primers based on Edman degradation fragments. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analyses showed that Lma‐p18 is expressed exclusively in the anterior part of male tergal gland, which is exposed only during sexual behavior. Sequence analysis indicated that Lma‐p18 belongs to the calycin superfamily and is very similar to Lma‐p22, the first known male‐specific tergal protein in L. maderae . Lma‐p18 and Lma‐p22 were proposed to bind different sexually attractive compounds as other calycins.