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Fu C, Yang D, Long WC, Xiao X, Wang H, Jiang N, Yang Y. Genome-wide identification, molecular evolution and gene expression of P450 gene family in Cyrtotrachelus buqueti. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:453. [PMID: 38720243 PMCID: PMC11080265 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10372-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insect Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYPs or P450s) plays an important role in detoxifying insecticides, causing insect populations to develop resistance. However, the molecular functions of P450 gene family in Cyrtotrachelus buqueti genome are still lacking. RESULTS In this study, 71 CbuP450 genes have been identified. The amino acids length of CbuP450 proteins was between 183 aa ~ 1041 aa. They are proteins with transmembrane domains. The main component of their secondary structure is α-helix and random coils. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. buqueti and Rhynchophorus ferrugineus were the most closely related. This gene family has 29 high-frequency codons, which tend to use A/T bases and A/T ending codons. Gene expression analysis showed that CbuP450_23 in the female adult may play an important role on high temperature resistance, and CbuP450_17 in the larval may play an important role on low temperature tolerance. CbuP450_10, CbuP450_17, CbuP450_23, CbuP450_10, CbuP450_16, CbuP450_20, CbuP450_23 and CbuP450_ 29 may be related to the regulation of bamboo fiber degradation genes in C. buqueti. Protein interaction analysis indicates that most CbuP450 proteins are mainly divided into three aspects: encoding the biosynthesis of ecdysteroids, participating in the decomposition of synthetic insecticides, metabolizing insect hormones, and participating in the detoxification of compounds. CONCLUSIONS We systematically analyzed the gene and protein characteristics, gene expression, and protein interactions of CbuP450 gene family, revealing the key genes involved in the stress response of CbuP450 gene family in the resistance of C. buqueti to high or low temperature stress, and identified the key CbuP450 proteins involved in important life activity metabolism. These results provided a reference for further research on the function of P450 gene family in C. buqueti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Fu
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Bamboo Pests Control and Resource Development, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China.
- College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Ding Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Bamboo Pests Control and Resource Development, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
| | - Wen Cong Long
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Bamboo Pests Control and Resource Development, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
| | - XiMeng Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Bamboo Pests Control and Resource Development, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
| | - HanYu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Bamboo Pests Control and Resource Development, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
| | - Na Jiang
- College of Tourism and Geographical Science, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China
| | - YaoJun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Bamboo Pests Control and Resource Development, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China.
- College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, No. 778 Binhe Road, Shizhong District, Leshan, 614000, Sichuan, China.
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2
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Liu M, Li S. Nitrile biosynthesis in nature: how and why? Nat Prod Rep 2024; 41:649-671. [PMID: 38193577 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00028a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Covering: up to the end of 2023Natural nitriles comprise a small set of secondary metabolites which however show intriguing chemical and functional diversity. Various patterns of nitrile biosynthesis can be seen in animals, plants, and microorganisms with the characteristics of both evolutionary divergence and convergence. These specialized compounds play important roles in nitrogen metabolism, chemical defense against herbivores, predators and pathogens, and inter- and/or intraspecies communications. Here we review the naturally occurring nitrile-forming pathways from a biochemical perspective and discuss the biological and ecological functions conferred by diversified nitrile biosyntheses in different organisms. Elucidation of the mechanisms and evolutionary trajectories of nitrile biosynthesis underpins better understandings of nitrile-related biology, chemistry, and ecology and will ultimately benefit the development of desirable nitrile-forming biocatalysts for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China.
| | - Shengying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
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3
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Pinheiro de Castro ÉC, Demirtas R, Orteu A, Olsen CE, Motawie MS, Zikan Cardoso M, Zagrobelny M, Bak S. The dynamics of cyanide defences in the life cycle of an aposematic butterfly: Biosynthesis versus sequestration. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 116:103259. [PMID: 31698083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Heliconius butterflies are highly specialized in Passiflora plants, laying eggs and feeding as larvae only on them. Interestingly, both Heliconius butterflies and Passiflora plants contain cyanogenic glucosides (CNglcs). While feeding on specific Passiflora species, Heliconius melpomene larvae are able to sequester simple cyclopentenyl CNglcs, the most common CNglcs in this plant genus. Yet, aromatic, aliphatic, and modified CNglcs have been reported in Passiflora species and they were never tested for sequestration by heliconiine larvae. As other cyanogenic lepidopterans, H. melpomene also biosynthesize the aliphatic CNglcs linamarin and lotaustralin, and their toxicity does not rely exclusively on sequestration. Although the genes encoding the enzymes in the CNglc biosynthesis have not yet been biochemically characterized in butterflies, the cytochromes P450 CYP405A4, CYP405A5, CYP405A6 and CYP332A1 have been hypothesized to be involved in this pathway in H. melpomene. In this study, we determine how the CNglc composition and expression of the putative P450s involved in the biosynthesis of these compounds vary at different developmental stages of Heliconius butterflies. We also establish which kind of CNglcs H. melpomene larvae can sequester from Passiflora. By analysing the chemical composition of the haemolymph from larvae fed with different Passiflora diets, we show that H. melpomene is able to sequestered prunasin, an aromatic CNglcs, from P. platyloba. They are also able to sequester amygdalin, gynocardin, [C13/C14]linamarin and [C13/C14]lotaustralin painted on the plant leaves. The CNglc tetraphyllin B-sulphate from P. caerulea is not detected in the larval haemolymph, suggesting that such modified CNglcs cannot be sequestered by Heliconius. Although pupae and virgin adults contain dihydrogynocardin resulting from larval sequestration, this compound was metabolized during adulthood, and not used as nuptial gift or transferred to the offspring. Thus, we speculate that dihydrogynocardin is catabolized to recycle nitrogen and glucose, and/or to produce fitness signals during courtship. Mature adults have a higher concentration of CNglcs than any other developmental stages due to increased de novo biosynthesis of linamarin and lotaustralin. Accordingly, all CYP405As are expressed in adults, whereas larvae mostly express CYP405A4. Our results shed light on the importance of CNglcs for Heliconius biology and their coevolution with Passiflora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Érika C Pinheiro de Castro
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark; Department of Zoology, Cambridge University. Downing Street, CB3 3EJ, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rojan Demirtas
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Anna Orteu
- Department of Zoology, Cambridge University. Downing Street, CB3 3EJ, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Carl Erik Olsen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Mohammed Saddik Motawie
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Márcio Zikan Cardoso
- Department of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, RN, 59078-900, Brazil
| | - Mika Zagrobelny
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Søren Bak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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4
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Pinheiro de Castro ÉC, Zagrobelny M, Zurano JP, Zikan Cardoso M, Feyereisen R, Bak S. Sequestration and biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides in passion vine butterflies and consequences for the diversification of their host plants. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:5079-5093. [PMID: 31110663 PMCID: PMC6509390 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The colorful heliconiine butterflies are distasteful to predators due to their content of defense compounds called cyanogenic glucosides (CNglcs), which they biosynthesize from aliphatic amino acids. Heliconiine larvae feed exclusively on Passiflora plants where ~30 kinds of CNglcs have been reported. Among them, some CNglcs derived from cyclopentenyl glycine can be sequestered by some Heliconius species. In order to understand the evolution of biosynthesis and sequestration of CNglcs in these butterflies and its consequences for their arms race with Passiflora plants, we analyzed the CNglc distribution in selected heliconiine and Passiflora species. Sequestration of cyclopentenyl CNglcs is not an exclusive trait of Heliconius, since these compounds were present in other heliconiines such as Philaethria, Dryas and Agraulis, and in more distantly related genera Cethosia and Euptoieta. Thus, it is likely that the ability to sequester cyclopentenyl CNglcs arose in an ancestor of the Heliconiinae subfamily. Biosynthesis of aliphatic CNglcs is widespread in these butterflies, although some species from the sara-sapho group seem to have lost this ability. The CNglc distribution within Passiflora suggests that they might have diversified their cyanogenic profile to escape heliconiine herbivory. This systematic analysis improves our understanding on the evolution of cyanogenesis in the heliconiine-Passiflora system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mika Zagrobelny
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenFrederiksberg C, CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Juan Pablo Zurano
- Department of Systematic and EcologyFederal University of ParaibaJoão PessoaParaíbaBrazil
| | - Márcio Zikan Cardoso
- Department of EcologyFederal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalRio Grande do NorteBrazil
| | - René Feyereisen
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenFrederiksberg C, CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Søren Bak
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenFrederiksberg C, CopenhagenDenmark
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5
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Evolution of the Biosynthetic Pathway for Cyanogenic Glucosides in Lepidoptera. J Mol Evol 2018; 86:379-394. [DOI: 10.1007/s00239-018-9854-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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6
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Zagrobelny M, de Castro ÉCP, Møller BL, Bak S. Cyanogenesis in Arthropods: From Chemical Warfare to Nuptial Gifts. INSECTS 2018; 9:E51. [PMID: 29751568 PMCID: PMC6023451 DOI: 10.3390/insects9020051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Chemical defences are key components in insect⁻plant interactions, as insects continuously learn to overcome plant defence systems by, e.g., detoxification, excretion or sequestration. Cyanogenic glucosides are natural products widespread in the plant kingdom, and also known to be present in arthropods. They are stabilised by a glucoside linkage, which is hydrolysed by the action of β-glucosidase enzymes, resulting in the release of toxic hydrogen cyanide and deterrent aldehydes or ketones. Such a binary system of components that are chemically inert when spatially separated provides an immediate defence against predators that cause tissue damage. Further roles in nitrogen metabolism and inter- and intraspecific communication has also been suggested for cyanogenic glucosides. In arthropods, cyanogenic glucosides are found in millipedes, centipedes, mites, beetles and bugs, and particularly within butterflies and moths. Cyanogenic glucosides may be even more widespread since many arthropod taxa have not yet been analysed for the presence of this class of natural products. In many instances, arthropods sequester cyanogenic glucosides or their precursors from food plants, thereby avoiding the demand for de novo biosynthesis and minimising the energy spent for defence. Nevertheless, several species of butterflies, moths and millipedes have been shown to biosynthesise cyanogenic glucosides de novo, and even more species have been hypothesised to do so. As for higher plant species, the specific steps in the pathway is catalysed by three enzymes, two cytochromes P450, a glycosyl transferase, and a general P450 oxidoreductase providing electrons to the P450s. The pathway for biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides in arthropods has most likely been assembled by recruitment of enzymes, which could most easily be adapted to acquire the required catalytic properties for manufacturing these compounds. The scattered phylogenetic distribution of cyanogenic glucosides in arthropods indicates that the ability to biosynthesise this class of natural products has evolved independently several times. This is corroborated by the characterised enzymes from the pathway in moths and millipedes. Since the biosynthetic pathway is hypothesised to have evolved convergently in plants as well, this would suggest that there is only one universal series of unique intermediates by which amino acids are efficiently converted into CNglcs in different Kingdoms of Life. For arthropods to handle ingestion of cyanogenic glucosides, an effective detoxification system is required. In butterflies and moths, hydrogen cyanide released from hydrolysis of cyanogenic glucosides is mainly detoxified by β-cyanoalanine synthase, while other arthropods use the enzyme rhodanese. The storage of cyanogenic glucosides and spatially separated hydrolytic enzymes (β-glucosidases and α-hydroxynitrile lyases) are important for an effective hydrogen cyanide release for defensive purposes. Accordingly, such hydrolytic enzymes are also present in many cyanogenic arthropods, and spatial separation has been shown in a few species. Although much knowledge regarding presence, biosynthesis, hydrolysis and detoxification of cyanogenic glucosides in arthropods has emerged in recent years, many exciting unanswered questions remain regarding the distribution, roles apart from defence, and convergent evolution of the metabolic pathways involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mika Zagrobelny
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | | | - Birger Lindberg Møller
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
- VILLUM Center for Plant Plasticity, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Søren Bak
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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7
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Gouin A, Bretaudeau A, Nam K, Gimenez S, Aury JM, Duvic B, Hilliou F, Durand N, Montagné N, Darboux I, Kuwar S, Chertemps T, Siaussat D, Bretschneider A, Moné Y, Ahn SJ, Hänniger S, Grenet ASG, Neunemann D, Maumus F, Luyten I, Labadie K, Xu W, Koutroumpa F, Escoubas JM, Llopis A, Maïbèche-Coisne M, Salasc F, Tomar A, Anderson AR, Khan SA, Dumas P, Orsucci M, Guy J, Belser C, Alberti A, Noel B, Couloux A, Mercier J, Nidelet S, Dubois E, Liu NY, Boulogne I, Mirabeau O, Le Goff G, Gordon K, Oakeshott J, Consoli FL, Volkoff AN, Fescemyer HW, Marden JH, Luthe DS, Herrero S, Heckel DG, Wincker P, Kergoat GJ, Amselem J, Quesneville H, Groot AT, Jacquin-Joly E, Nègre N, Lemaitre C, Legeai F, d'Alençon E, Fournier P. Two genomes of highly polyphagous lepidopteran pests (Spodoptera frugiperda, Noctuidae) with different host-plant ranges. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11816. [PMID: 28947760 PMCID: PMC5613006 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10461-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergence of polyphagous herbivorous insects entails significant adaptation to recognize, detoxify and digest a variety of host-plants. Despite of its biological and practical importance - since insects eat 20% of crops - no exhaustive analysis of gene repertoires required for adaptations in generalist insect herbivores has previously been performed. The noctuid moth Spodoptera frugiperda ranks as one of the world’s worst agricultural pests. This insect is polyphagous while the majority of other lepidopteran herbivores are specialist. It consists of two morphologically indistinguishable strains (“C” and “R”) that have different host plant ranges. To describe the evolutionary mechanisms that both enable the emergence of polyphagous herbivory and lead to the shift in the host preference, we analyzed whole genome sequences from laboratory and natural populations of both strains. We observed huge expansions of genes associated with chemosensation and detoxification compared with specialist Lepidoptera. These expansions are largely due to tandem duplication, a possible adaptation mechanism enabling polyphagy. Individuals from natural C and R populations show significant genomic differentiation. We found signatures of positive selection in genes involved in chemoreception, detoxification and digestion, and copy number variation in the two latter gene families, suggesting an adaptive role for structural variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Gouin
- INRIA, IRISA, GenScale, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, 35042, France
| | - Anthony Bretaudeau
- INRA, UMR Institut de Génétique, Environnement et Protection des Plantes (IGEPP), BioInformatics Platform for Agroecosystems Arthropods (BIPAA), Campus Beaulieu, Rennes, 35042, France.,INRIA, IRISA, GenOuest Core Facility, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, 35042, France
| | - Kiwoong Nam
- DGIMI, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Sylvie Gimenez
- DGIMI, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Marc Aury
- CEA, Genoscope, 2 rue Gaston Crémieux, 91000, Evry, France
| | - Bernard Duvic
- DGIMI, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédérique Hilliou
- Université Côte d'Azur, INRA, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06903 Sophia-Antipolis, France
| | - Nicolas Durand
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Montagné
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | | | - Suyog Kuwar
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Chertemps
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - David Siaussat
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Anne Bretschneider
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Yves Moné
- DGIMI, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Seung-Joon Ahn
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Sabine Hänniger
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | | | - David Neunemann
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Florian Maumus
- URGI, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78026, Versailles, France
| | - Isabelle Luyten
- URGI, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78026, Versailles, France
| | - Karine Labadie
- CEA, Genoscope, 2 rue Gaston Crémieux, 91000, Evry, France
| | - Wei Xu
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, 6150, Australia
| | - Fotini Koutroumpa
- INRA, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 78000, Versailles, France.,Laboratory of Mammalian Genetics, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Lab block: Tuljaguda (Opp. MJ Market), Nampally, Hyderabad, 500 001, India
| | | | - Angel Llopis
- Department of Genetics, Universitat de València, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI-BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Martine Maïbèche-Coisne
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Fanny Salasc
- DGIMI, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France.,EPHE, PSL Research University, UMR1333 - DGIMI, Pathologie comparée des Invertébrés CC101, F-34095, Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Archana Tomar
- Laboratory of Mammalian Genetics, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Lab block: Tuljaguda (Opp. MJ Market), Nampally, Hyderabad, 500 001, India
| | - Alisha R Anderson
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Sher Afzal Khan
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Pascaline Dumas
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marion Orsucci
- DGIMI, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Guy
- CEA, Genoscope, 2 rue Gaston Crémieux, 91000, Evry, France
| | | | | | - Benjamin Noel
- CEA, Genoscope, 2 rue Gaston Crémieux, 91000, Evry, France
| | - Arnaud Couloux
- CEA, Genoscope, 2 rue Gaston Crémieux, 91000, Evry, France
| | | | - Sabine Nidelet
- Plateforme MGX, C/o institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, 141, rue de la Cardonille, 34094, Montpellier cedex 05, France
| | - Emeric Dubois
- Plateforme MGX, C/o institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, 141, rue de la Cardonille, 34094, Montpellier cedex 05, France
| | - Nai-Yong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, 650224, China
| | - Isabelle Boulogne
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Mirabeau
- INRA, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 78000, Versailles, France
| | - Gaelle Le Goff
- Université Côte d'Azur, INRA, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06903 Sophia-Antipolis, France
| | - Karl Gordon
- CSIRO, Clunies Ross St, (GPO Box 1700), Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - John Oakeshott
- CSIRO, Clunies Ross St, (GPO Box 1700), Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Fernando L Consoli
- Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias 11, 13418-900, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | | | - Howard W Fescemyer
- Department of Biology, 208 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James H Marden
- Department of Biology, 208 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Dawn S Luthe
- Department of Plant Science, 102 Tyson Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Salvador Herrero
- Department of Genetics, Universitat de València, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - David G Heckel
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Patrick Wincker
- CEA, Genoscope, 2 rue Gaston Crémieux, 91000, Evry, France.,CNRS UMR 8030, 2 rue Gaston Crémieux, 91000, Evry, France.,Université d'Evry Val D'Essonne, 91000, Evry, France
| | - Gael J Kergoat
- INRA, UMR1062 CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, Montpellier SupAgro, 755 Avenue du campus Agropolis, 34988, Montferrier/Lez, France
| | - Joelle Amselem
- URGI, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78026, Versailles, France
| | | | - Astrid T Groot
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745, Jena, Germany.,Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Nicolas Nègre
- DGIMI, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France.
| | - Claire Lemaitre
- INRIA, IRISA, GenScale, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, 35042, France.
| | - Fabrice Legeai
- INRIA, IRISA, GenScale, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, 35042, France
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8
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de Castro ÉCP, Zagrobelny M, Cardoso MZ, Bak S. The arms race between heliconiine butterflies and Passiflora plants - new insights on an ancient subject. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2017; 93:555-573. [PMID: 28901723 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Heliconiines are called passion vine butterflies because they feed exclusively on Passiflora plants during the larval stage. Many features of Passiflora and heliconiines indicate that they have radiated and speciated in association with each other, and therefore this model system was one of the first examples used to exemplify coevolution theory. Three major adaptations of Passiflora plants supported arguments in favour of their coevolution with heliconiines: unusual variation of leaf shape within the genus; the occurrence of yellow structures mimicking heliconiine eggs; and their extensive diversity of defence compounds called cyanogenic glucosides. However, the protection systems of Passiflora plants go beyond these three features. Trichomes, mimicry of pathogen infection through variegation, and production of extrafloral nectar to attract ants and other predators of their herbivores, are morphological defences reported in this plant genus. Moreover, Passiflora plants are well protected chemically, not only by cyanogenic glucosides, but also by other compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and phenolics. Heliconiines can synthesize cyanogenic glucosides themselves, and their ability to handle these compounds was probably one of the most crucial adaptations that allowed the ancestor of these butterflies to feed on Passiflora plants. Indeed, it has been shown that Heliconius larvae can sequester cyanogenic glucosides and alkaloids from their host plants and utilize them for their own benefit. Recently, it was discovered that Heliconius adults have highly accurate visual and chemosensory systems, and the expansion of brain structures that can process such information allows them to memorize shapes and display elaborate pre-oviposition behaviour in order to defeat visual barriers evolved by Passiflora species. Even though the heliconiine-Passiflora model system has been intensively studied, the forces driving host-plant preference in these butterflies remain unclear. New studies have shown that host-plant preference seems to be genetically controlled, but in many species there is some plasticity in this choice and preferences can even be induced. Although much knowledge regarding the coevolution of Passiflora plants and heliconiine butterflies has accumulated in recent decades, there remain many exciting unanswered questions concerning this model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Érika C P de Castro
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1871, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mika Zagrobelny
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1871, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Márcio Z Cardoso
- Department of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 59078-900, Brazil
| | - Søren Bak
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1871, Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Vazquez-Albacete D, Cavaleiro AM, Christensen U, Seppälä S, Møller BL, Nørholm MHH. An expression tag toolbox for microbial production of membrane bound plant cytochromes P450. Biotechnol Bioeng 2016; 114:751-760. [PMID: 27748524 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Membrane-associated Cytochromes P450 (P450s) are one of the most important enzyme families for biosynthesis of plant-derived medicinal compounds. However, the hydrophobic nature of P450s makes their use in robust cell factories a challenge. Here, we explore a small library of N-terminal expression tag chimeras of the model plant P450 CYP79A1 in different Escherichia coli strains. Using a high-throughput screening platform based on C-terminal GFP fusions, we identify several highly expressing and robustly performing chimeric designs. Analysis of long-term cultures by flow cytometry showed homogeneous populations for some of the conditions. Three chimeric designs were chosen for a more complex combinatorial assembly of a multigene pathway consisting of two P450s and a redox partner. Cells expressing these recombinant enzymes catalyzed the conversion of the substrate to highly different ratios of the intermediate and the final product of the pathway. Finally, the effect of a robustly performing expression tag was explored with a library of 49 different P450s from medicinal plants and nearly half of these were improved in expression by more than twofold. The developed toolbox serves as a platform to tune P450 performance in microbial cells, thereby facilitating recombinant production of complex plant P450-derived biochemicals. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 751-760. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Vazquez-Albacete
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kogle allé 6, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Ana Mafalda Cavaleiro
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kogle allé 6, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Ulla Christensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kogle allé 6, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Susanna Seppälä
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kogle allé 6, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Birger Lindberg Møller
- Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Synthetic Biology: bioSYNergy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten H H Nørholm
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kogle allé 6, Hørsholm, Denmark.,Center for Synthetic Biology: bioSYNergy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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10
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Yu QY, Fang SM, Zhang Z, Jiggins CD. The transcriptome response ofHeliconius melpomenelarvae to a novel host plant. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:4850-65. [PMID: 27572947 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Quan-You Yu
- School of Life Sciences; Chongqing University; Chongqing 401331 China
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Shou-Min Fang
- College of Life Science; China West Normal University; Nanchang 637002 China
| | - Ze Zhang
- School of Life Sciences; Chongqing University; Chongqing 401331 China
| | - Chris D. Jiggins
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
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11
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Salgado AL, Suchan T, Pellissier L, Rasmann S, Ducrest AL, Alvarez N. Differential phenotypic and genetic expression of defence compounds in a plant-herbivore interaction along elevation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160226. [PMID: 27703688 PMCID: PMC5043307 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Elevation gradients impose large differences in abiotic and biotic conditions over short distances, in turn, likely driving differences in gene expression more than would genetic variation per se, as natural selection and drift are less likely to fix alleles at such a narrow spatial scale. As elevation increases, the pressure exerted on plants by herbivores and on arthropod herbivores by predators decreases, and organisms spanning the elevation gradient are thus expected to show lower levels of defence at high elevation. The alternative hypothesis, based on the optimal defence theory, is that defence allocation should be higher in low-resource habitats such as those at high elevation, due to higher costs associated with tissue replacement. In this study, we analyse variation with elevation in (i) defence compound content in the plant Lotus corniculatus and (ii) gene expression associated with defence against predators in the specific phytophagous moth, Zygaena filipendulae. Both species produce cyanogenic glycosides (CNglcs) such as lotaustralin and linamarin as defence mechanisms, with the moth, in addition, being able to sequester CNglcs from its host plant. Specifically, we tested the assumption that the defence-associated phenotype in plants and the gene expression in the insect herbivore should covary between low- and high-elevation environments. We found that L. corniculatus accumulated more CNglcs at high elevation, a result in agreement with the optimal defence theory. By contrast, we found that the levels of expression in the defence genes of Z. filipendulae larvae were not related to the CNglc content of their host plant. Overall, expression levels were not correlated with elevation either, with the exception of the UGT33A1 gene, which showed a marginally significant trend towards higher expression at high elevation when using a simple statistical framework. These results suggest that the defence phenotype of plants against herbivores, and subsequent herbivore sequestration machineries and de novo production, are based on a complex network of interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L. Salgado
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore building, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Metapopulation Research Centre, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomasz Suchan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore building, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Unit of Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Lyse Ducrest
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore building, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nadir Alvarez
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore building, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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12
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Merrill RM, Dasmahapatra KK, Davey JW, Dell'Aglio DD, Hanly JJ, Huber B, Jiggins CD, Joron M, Kozak KM, Llaurens V, Martin SH, Montgomery SH, Morris J, Nadeau NJ, Pinharanda AL, Rosser N, Thompson MJ, Vanjari S, Wallbank RWR, Yu Q. The diversification of Heliconius butterflies: what have we learned in 150 years? J Evol Biol 2015; 28:1417-38. [PMID: 26079599 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Research into Heliconius butterflies has made a significant contribution to evolutionary biology. Here, we review our understanding of the diversification of these butterflies, covering recent advances and a vast foundation of earlier work. Whereas no single group of organisms can be sufficient for understanding life's diversity, after years of intensive study, research into Heliconius has addressed a wide variety of evolutionary questions. We first discuss evidence for widespread gene flow between Heliconius species and what this reveals about the nature of species. We then address the evolution and diversity of warning patterns, both as the target of selection and with respect to their underlying genetic basis. The identification of major genes involved in mimetic shifts, and homology at these loci between distantly related taxa, has revealed a surprising predictability in the genetic basis of evolution. In the final sections, we consider the evolution of warning patterns, and Heliconius diversity more generally, within a broader context of ecological and sexual selection. We consider how different traits and modes of selection can interact and influence the evolution of reproductive isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Merrill
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | | | - J W Davey
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - D D Dell'Aglio
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - J J Hanly
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - B Huber
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK.,Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB - UMR 7205 - CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - C D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - M Joron
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama.,Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB - UMR 7205 - CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France.,Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier 5, France
| | - K M Kozak
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - V Llaurens
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB - UMR 7205 - CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - S H Martin
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - S H Montgomery
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - J Morris
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - N J Nadeau
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - A L Pinharanda
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - N Rosser
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - M J Thompson
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - S Vanjari
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - R W R Wallbank
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Q Yu
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Shapingba District, Chongqing, China
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13
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Kozak KM, Wahlberg N, Neild AFE, Dasmahapatra KK, Mallet J, Jiggins CD. Multilocus species trees show the recent adaptive radiation of the mimetic heliconius butterflies. Syst Biol 2015; 64:505-24. [PMID: 25634098 PMCID: PMC4395847 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syv007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Müllerian mimicry among Neotropical Heliconiini butterflies is an excellent example of natural selection, associated with the diversification of a large continental-scale radiation. Some of the processes driving the evolution of mimicry rings are likely to generate incongruent phylogenetic signals across the assemblage, and thus pose a challenge for systematics. We use a data set of 22 mitochondrial and nuclear markers from 92% of species in the tribe, obtained by Sanger sequencing and de novo assembly of short read data, to re-examine the phylogeny of Heliconiini with both supermatrix and multispecies coalescent approaches, characterize the patterns of conflicting signal, and compare the performance of various methodological approaches to reflect the heterogeneity across the data. Despite the large extent of reticulate signal and strong conflict between markers, nearly identical topologies are consistently recovered by most of the analyses, although the supermatrix approach failed to reflect the underlying variation in the history of individual loci. However, the supermatrix represents a useful approximation where multiple rare species represented by short sequences can be incorporated easily. The first comprehensive, time-calibrated phylogeny of this group is used to test the hypotheses of a diversification rate increase driven by the dramatic environmental changes in the Neotropics over the past 23 myr, or changes caused by diversity-dependent effects on the rate of diversification. We find that the rate of diversification has increased on the branch leading to the presently most species-rich genus Heliconius, but the change occurred gradually and cannot be unequivocally attributed to a specific environmental driver. Our study provides comprehensive comparison of philosophically distinct species tree reconstruction methods and provides insights into the diversification of an important insect radiation in the most biodiverse region of the planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof M Kozak
- Butterfly Genetics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EJ Cambridge, UK; Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, YO10 5DD Heslington, York, UK; and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Niklas Wahlberg
- Butterfly Genetics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EJ Cambridge, UK; Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, YO10 5DD Heslington, York, UK; and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrew F E Neild
- Butterfly Genetics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EJ Cambridge, UK; Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, YO10 5DD Heslington, York, UK; and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kanchon K Dasmahapatra
- Butterfly Genetics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EJ Cambridge, UK; Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, YO10 5DD Heslington, York, UK; and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - James Mallet
- Butterfly Genetics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EJ Cambridge, UK; Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, YO10 5DD Heslington, York, UK; and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chris D Jiggins
- Butterfly Genetics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EJ Cambridge, UK; Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, YO10 5DD Heslington, York, UK; and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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14
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Shelomi M, Jasper WC, Atallah J, Kimsey LS, Johnson BR. Differential expression of endogenous plant cell wall degrading enzyme genes in the stick insect (Phasmatodea) midgut. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:917. [PMID: 25331961 PMCID: PMC4221708 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) are an exclusively leaf-feeding order of insects with no record of omnivory, unlike other "herbivorous" Polyneoptera. They represent an ideal system for investigating the adaptations necessary for obligate folivory, including plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs). However, their physiology and internal anatomy is poorly understood, with limited genomic resources available. RESULTS We de novo assembled transcriptomes for the anterior and posterior midguts of six diverse Phasmatodea species, with RNA-Seq on one exemplar species, Peruphasma schultei. The latter's assembly yielded >100,000 transcripts, with over 4000 transcripts uniquely or more highly expressed in specific midgut sections. Two to three dozen PCWDE encoding gene families, including cellulases and pectinases, were differentially expressed in the anterior midgut. These genes were also found in genomic DNA from phasmid brain tissue, suggesting endogenous production. Sequence alignments revealed catalytic sites on most PCWDE transcripts. While most phasmid PCWDE genes showed homology with those of other insects, the pectinases were homologous to bacterial genes. CONCLUSIONS We identified a large and diverse PCWDE repertoire endogenous to the phasmids. If these expressed genes are translated into active enzymes, then phasmids can theoretically break plant cell walls into their monomer components independently of microbial symbionts. The differential gene expression between the two midgut sections provides the first molecular hints as to their function in living phasmids. Our work expands the resources available for industrial applications of animal-derived PCWDEs, and facilitates evolutionary analysis of lower Polyneopteran digestive enzymes, including the pectinases whose origin in Phasmatodea may have been a horizontal transfer event from bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matan Shelomi
- />Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
- />Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - W Cameron Jasper
- />Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Joel Atallah
- />Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Lynn S Kimsey
- />Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Brian R Johnson
- />Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
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