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Characterization of horizontally transferred β‐fructofuranosidase ( ScrB ) genes in A grilus planipennis
Author(s) -
Zhao C.,
Doucet D.,
Mittapalli O.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1111/imb.12127
Subject(s) - agrilus , emerald ash borer , biology , fraxinus , gene , botany , horizontal gene transfer , gene family , phylogenetics , genetics , genome
The emerald ash borer ( A grilus planipennis ) is an important invasive insect pest of F raxinus spp. that feeds on host tissues containing high levels of sucrose. However, little is known about how it digests sucrose. Here, using larval midgut transcriptome data and preliminary genome sequence efforts, two β‐fructofuranosidase‐encoding ScrB genes, A pla S cr B ‐1 and A pla S cr B ‐2 , were identified, and proved to reside within the A . planipennis genome. Homology and phylogenetic analysis revealed that they were acquired by A . planipennis via horizontal gene transfer ( HGT ) from bacteria, possibly an event independent from that reported in bark beetles (eg ScrB genes). Microsynteny between A . planipennis DNA scaffold #2042940, which hosts A pla S cr B ‐1 , and a region in the T ribolium castaneum chromosome LG 4 suggested that A . planipennis gained this gene after the separation of Buprestidae and Tenebrionidae. Although both of the putative A pla S cr B proteins have conserved β‐fructofuranosidase motifs, only A pla S cr B ‐2 was predicted to be a secretory protein. Expression of A pla S cr B ‐1 seemed constitutive during development and in all tissues examined, whereas A pla S cr B ‐2 showed a peak expression in adults and in the midgut. We propose that acquisition of these genes by A . planipennis from bacteria is adaptive, and specifically A pla S cr B ‐2 is involved in breaking down dietary sucrose to obtain energy for development.