Nagy NA, Rácz R, Rimington O, Póliska S, Orozco-terWengel P, Bruford MW, Barta Z. Draft genome of a biparental beetle species, Lethrus apterus.
BMC Genomics 2021;
22:301. [PMID:
33902445 PMCID:
PMC8074431 DOI:
10.1186/s12864-021-07627-w]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The lack of an understanding about the genomic architecture underpinning parental behaviour in subsocial insects displaying simple parental behaviours prevents the development of a full understanding about the evolutionary origin of sociality. Lethrus apterus is one of the few insect species that has biparental care. Division of labour can be observed between parents during the reproductive period in order to provide food and protection for their offspring.
RESULTS
Here, we report the draft genome of L. apterus, the first genome in the family Geotrupidae. The final assembly consisted of 286.93 Mbp in 66,933 scaffolds. Completeness analysis found the assembly contained 93.5% of the Endopterygota core BUSCO gene set. Ab initio gene prediction resulted in 25,385 coding genes, whereas homology-based analyses predicted 22,551 protein coding genes. After merging, 20,734 were found during functional annotation. Compared to other publicly available beetle genomes, 23,528 genes among the predicted genes were assigned to orthogroups of which 1664 were in species-specific groups. Additionally, reproduction related genes were found among the predicted genes based on which a reduction in the number of odorant- and pheromone-binding proteins was detected.
CONCLUSIONS
These genes can be used in further comparative and functional genomic researches which can advance our understanding of the genetic basis and hence the evolution of parental behaviour.
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