College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)

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3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde synthase and cuticle formation in insects
Liao, Chenghong; Liang, Jing; Han, Qian; Li, Jianyong (2018-06-02)
Cuticle is the most important structure that protects mosquitoes and other insect species from adverse environmental conditions and infections of microorganism. The physiology and biochemistry of insect cuticle formation have been studied for many years and our understanding of cuticle formation and hardening has increased considerably. This is especially true for flexible cuticle. The recent discovery of a novel enzyme that catalyzes the production of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) in insects provides intriguing insights concerning the flexible cuticle formation in insects. For convenience, the enzyme that catalyzes the production DOPAL from L-dopa is named DOPAL synthase. In this mini-review, we summarize the biochemical pathways of cuticle formation and hardening in general and discuss DOPAL synthase-mediated protein crosslinking in insect flexible cuticle in particular.
Activation of PAD4 in NET formation.
Rohrbach, Amanda S.; Slade, Daniel J.; Thompson, Paul R.; Mowen, Kerri A. (2012)
Peptidylarginine deiminases, or PADs, convert arginine residues to the non-ribosomally encoded amino acid citrulline in a variety of protein substrates. PAD4 is expressed in granulocytes and is essential for the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) via PAD4-mediated histone citrullination. Citrullination of histones is thought to promote NET formation by inducing chromatin decondensation and facilitating the expulsion of chromosomal DNA that is coated with antimicrobial molecules. Numerous stimuli have been reported to lead to PAD4 activation and NET formation. However, how this signaling process proceeds and how PAD4 becomes activated in cells is largely unknown. Herein, we describe the various stimuli and signaling pathways that have been implicated in PAD4 activation and NET formation, including the role of reactive oxygen species generation. To provide a foundation for the above discussion, we first describe PAD4 structure and function, and how these studies led to the development of PAD-specific inhibitors. A comprehensive survey of the receptors and signaling pathways that regulate PAD4 activation will be important for our understanding of innate immunity, and the identification of signaling intermediates in PAD4 activation may also lead to the generation of pharmaceuticals to target NET-related pathogenesis.
Activation of SsoPK4, an Archaeal eIF2α Kinase Homolog, by Oxidized CoA
Ray, William K.; Potters, Mark B.; Haile, January D.; Kennelly, Peter J. (MDPI, 2015-05-15)
The eukaryotic protein kinase (ePK) paradigm provides integral components for signal transduction cascades throughout nature. However, while so-called typical ePKs permeate the Eucarya and Bacteria, atypical ePKs dominate the kinomes of the Archaea. Intriguingly, the catalytic domains of the handful of deduced typical ePKs from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 exhibit significant resemblance to the protein kinases that phosphorylate translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) in response to cellular stresses. We cloned and expressed one of these archaeal eIF2α protein kinases, SsoPK4. SsoPK4 exhibited protein-serine/threonine kinase activity toward several proteins, including the S. solfataricus homolog of eIF2α, aIF2α. The activity of SsoPK4 was inhibited in vitro by 3ʹ,5ʹ-cyclic AMP (K_i of ~23 µM) and was activated by oxidized Coenzyme A, an indicator of oxidative stress in the Archaea. Activation enhanced the apparent affinity for protein substrates, K_m, but had little effect on V_max. Autophosphorylation activated SsoPK4 and rendered it insensitive to oxidized Coenzyme A.
Analysis of T-DNA alleles of flavonoid biosynthesis genes in Arabidopsis ecotype Columbia
Bowerman, Peter A.; Ramirez, Melissa V.; Price, Michelle B.; Helm, Richard F.; Winkel, Brenda S. J. (2012-09-04)
BACKGROUND: The flavonoid pathway is a long-standing and important tool for plant genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Numerous flavonoid mutants have been identified in Arabidopsis over the past several decades in a variety of ecotypes. Here we present an analysis of Arabidopsis lines of ecotype Columbia carrying T-DNA insertions in genes encoding enzymes of the central flavonoid pathway. We also provide a comprehensive summary of various mutant alleles for these structural genes that have been described in the literature to date in a wide variety of ecotypes. FINDINGS: The confirmed knockout lines present easily-scorable phenotypes due to altered pigmentation of the seed coat (or testa). Knockouts for seven alleles for six flavonoid biosynthetic genes were confirmed by PCR and characterized by UPLC for altered flavonol content. CONCLUSION: Seven mutant lines for six genes of the central flavonoid pathway were characterized in ecotype, Columbia. These lines represent a useful resource for integrating biochemical and physiological studies with genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data, much of which has been, and continues to be, generated in the Columbia background.
Analysis of the Aedes albopictus C6/36 genome provides insight into cell line utility for viral propagation
Miller, Jason R.; Koren, Sergey; Dilley, Kari A.; Puri, Vinita; Brown, David M.; Harkins, Derel M.; Thibaud-Nissen, Françoise; Rosen, Benjamin D.; Xiao-Guang, Chen; Tu, Zhijian Jake; Sharakhov, Igor V.; Sharakhova, Maria V.; Sebra, R.; Stockwell, T. B.; Bergman, N. H.; Sutton, G. G.; Phillippi, A. M.; Pieemarini, P. M.; Shabman, R. S. (2018-03)
The 50-year old Aedes albopictus C6/36 cell line is a resource for the detection, amplification, and analysis of mosquito-borne viruses including Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. The cell line is derived from an unknown number of larvae from an unspecified strain of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Toward improved utility of the cell line for research in virus transmission, we present an annotated assembly of the C6/36 genome.
Antimalarial 5,6-Dihydro-alpha-pyrones from Cryptocarya rigidifolia: Related Bicyclic Tetrahydro-alpha-Pyrones Are Artifacts
Liu, Yixi; Rakotondraibe, L. Harinantenaina; Brodie, Peggy J.; Wiley, Jessica D.; Cassera, Maria B.; Miller, James S.; Ratovoson, F.; Rakotobe, Etienne; Rasamison, Vincent E.; Kingston, David G. I. (American Chemical Society, 2015-06-01)
Antiproliferative Compounds from Cleistanthus boivinianus from the Madagascar Dry Forest
Liu, Yixi; Young, Kelly; Rakotondraibe, L. Harinantenaina; Brodie, Peggy J.; Wiley, Jessica D.; Cassera, Maria B.; Callmander, Martin W.; Rakotondrajaona, R.; Rakotobe, Etienne; Rasamison, Vincent E.; TenDyke, Karen; Shen, Yongchun; Kingston, David G. I. (American Chemical Society, 2015-07-01)
Association of microRNAs with Argonaute proteins in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae after blood ingestion
Fu, X.; Dimopoulos, G.; Zhu, J. (2017)
Attracting and Retaining Minorities in the Biomedical Sciences Including Genomics: a Community-based Approach
Smith, Edward J. (2014-08-21)
AvrRxo1 Is a Bifunctional Type III Secreted Effector and Toxin-Antitoxin System Component with Homologs in Diverse Environmental Contexts
Triplett, Lindsay R.; Shidore, Teja; Long, John J.; Miao, Jiamin; Wu, Shuchi; Han, Qian; Zhou, Changhe; Ishihara, Hiromichi; Li, Jianyong; Zhao, Bingyu Y.; Leach, Jan E. (PLOS, 2016-07-08)
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous bacterial systems that may function in genome maintenance and metabolic stress management, but are also thought to play a role in virulence by helping pathogens survive stress. We previously demonstrated that the Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola protein AvrRxo1 is a type III-secreted virulence factor that has structural similarities to the zeta family of TA toxins, and is toxic to plants and bacteria in the absence of its predicted chaperone Arc1. In this work, we confirm that AvrRxo1 and its binding partner Arc1 function as a TA system when expressed in Escherichia coli. Sequences of avrRxo1 homologs were culled from published and newly generated phytopathogen genomes, revealing that avrRxo1:arc1 modules are rare or frequently inactivated in some species and highly conserved in others. Cloning and functional analysis of avrRxo1 from Acidovorax avenae, A. citrulli, Burkholderia andropogonis, Xanthomonas translucens, and Xanthomonas euvesicatoria showed that some AvrRxo1 homologs share the bacteriostatic and Rxo1-mediated cell death triggering activities of AvrRxo1 from X. oryzae. Additional distant putative homologs of avrRxo1 and arc1 were identified in genomic or metagenomic sequence of environmental bacteria with no known pathogenic role. One of these distant homologs was cloned from the filamentous soil bacterium Cystobacter fuscus. avrRxo1 from C. fuscus caused watersoaking and triggered Rxo1-dependent cell collapse in Nicotiana benthamiana, but no growth suppression in E. coli was observed. This work confirms that a type III effector can function as a TA system toxin, and illustrates the potential of microbiome data to reveal new environmental origins or reservoirs of pathogen virulence factors.
The Beginning of the End: A Chromosomal Assembly of the New World Malaria Mosquito Ends with a Novel Telomere
Compton, Austin; Liang, Jiangtao; Chen, Chujia; Lukyanchikova, Varvara; Qi, Yumin; Potters, Mark B.; Settlage, Robert; Miller, Dustin; Deschamps, Stephane; Mao, Chunhong; Llaca, Victor; Sharakhov, Igor V.; Tu, Zhijian Jake (Genetics Society of America, 2020-10-01)
Chromosome level assemblies are accumulating in various taxonomic groups including mosquitoes. However, even in the few reference-quality mosquito assemblies, a significant portion of the heterochromatic regions including telomeres remain unresolved. Here we produce a de novo assembly of the New World malaria mosquito, Anopheles albimanus by integrating Oxford Nanopore sequencing, Illumina, Hi-C and optical mapping. This 172.6 Mbps female assembly, which we call AalbS3, is obtained by scaffolding polished large contigs (contig N50 = 13.7 Mbps) into three chromosomes. All chromosome arms end with telomeric repeats, which is the first in mosquito assemblies and represents a significant step toward the completion of a genome assembly. These telomeres consist of tandem repeats of a novel 30-32 bp Telomeric Repeat Unit (TRU) and are confirmed by analyzing the termini of long reads and through both chromosomal in situ hybridization and a Bal31 sensitivity assay. The AalbS3 assembly included previously uncharacterized centromeric and rDNA clusters and more than doubled the content of transposable elements and other repetitive sequences. This telomere-to-telomere assembly, although still containing gaps, represents a significant step toward resolving biologically important but previously hidden genomic components. The comparison of different scaffolding methods will also inform future efforts to obtain reference-quality genomes for other mosquito species.
Biochemical Characterization of a Dihydroneopterin Aldolase Used for Methanopterin Biosynthesis in Methanogens
Wang, Yu; Xu, Huimin; Grochowski, Laura L.; White, Robert H. (American Society for Microbiology, 2014-06-30)
The gene encoding 7,8-dihydroneopterin aldolase (DHNA) was recently identified in archaea through comparative genomics as being involved in methanopterin biosynthesis (V. Crecy-Lagard, G. Phillips, L. L. Grochowski, B. El Yacoubi, F. Jenney, M. W. Adams, A. G. Murzin, and R. H. White, ACS Chem. Biol. 7:1807-1816, 2012, doi:10.1021/cb300342u). Archaeal DHNA shows a unique secondary and quaternary structure compared with bacterial and plant DHNAs. Here, we report a detailed biochemical examination of DHNA from the methanogen Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. Kinetic studies show that M. jannaschii DHNA possesses a catalytic capability with a k(cat)/K-m above 10(5) M-1 s(-1) at 70 degrees C, and at room temperature it exhibits a turnover number (0.07 s(-1)) comparable to bacterial DHNAs. We also found that this enzyme follows an acid-base catalytic mechanism similar to the bacterial DHNAs, except when using alternative catalytic residues. We propose that in the absence of lysine, which is considered to be the general base in bacterial DHNAs, an invariant water molecule likely functions as the catalytic base, and the strictly conserved His35 and Gln61 residues serve as the hydrogen bond partners to adjust the basicity of the water molecule. Indeed, substitution of either His35 or Gln61 causes a 20-fold decrease in k(cat). An invariant Tyr78 is also shown to be important for catalysis, likely functioning as a general acid. Glu25 plays an important role in substrate binding, since replacing Glu25 by Gln caused a >= 25-fold increase in K-m. These results provide important insights into the catalytic mechanism of archaeal DHNAs.
Biosynthesis and possible functions of inositol pyrophosphates in plants
Williams, Sarah P.; Gillaspy, Glenda E.; Perera, Imara Y. (Frontiers, 2015-02-12)
Inositol phosphates (InsPs) are intricately tied to lipid signaling, as at least one portion of the inositol phosphate signaling pool is derived from hydrolysis of the lipid precursor, phosphatidyl inositol (4,5) bisphosphate. The focus of this review is on the inositol pyrophosphates, which are a novel group of InsP signaling molecules containing diphosphate or triphosphate chains (i.e., PPx) attached to the inositol ring. These PPx-InsPs are emerging as critical players in the integration of cellular metabolism and stress signaling in non-plante ukaryotes. Most eukaryotes synthesize the precursor molecule, myo-inositol (1,2,3,4,5,6)-hexakisphosphate (InsP6), which can serve as a signaling molecule or as storage compound of inositol, phosphorus, and minerals( referred to as phytic acid). Even though plants produce huge amounts of precursor InsP6 in seeds, almost no attention has been paid to whether PPx-InsPs exist in plants, and if so, what roles these molecules play. Recent work has delineated that Arabidopsis has two genes capable of PP-InsP5 synthesis, and PPx-InsPs have been detected across the plant kingdom. This review will detail the known roles of PPx-InsPs in yeast and animal systems, and provide a description of recent data on the synthesis and accumulation of these novel molecules in plants, and potential roles in signaling.
Biosynthesis of Galactofuranose in Kinetoplastids: Novel Therapeutic Targets for Treating Leishmaniasis and Chagas' Disease
Oppenheimer, Michelle; Valenciano Murillo, Ana L.; Sobrado, Pablo (Hindawi, 2011-05-25)
Cell surface proteins of parasites play a role in pathogenesis by modulating mammalian cell recognition and cell adhesion during infection. β-Galactofuranose (Galf) is an important component of glycoproteins and glycolipids found on the cell surface of Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi. β-Galf-containing glycans have been shown to be important in parasite-cell interaction and protection against oxidative stress. Here, we discuss the role of β-Galf in pathogenesis and recent studies on the Galf-biosynthetic enzymes: UDP-galactose 4′ epimerase (GalE), UDP-galactopyranose mutase (UGM), and UDP-galactofuranosyl transferase (GalfT). The central role in Galf formation, its unique chemical mechanism, and the absence of a homologous enzyme in humans identify UGM as the most attractive drug target in the β-Galf-biosynthetic pathway in protozoan parasites.
Borrelia burgdorferi peptidoglycan is a persistent antigen in patients with Lyme arthritis
Jutras, Brandon L.; Lochhead, Robert B.; Kloos, Zachary A.; Biboy, Jacob; Strle, Klemen; Booth, Carmen J.; Govers, Sander K.; Gray, Joe; Schumann, Peter; Vollmer, Waldemar; Bockenstedt, Linda K.; Steere, Allen C.; Jacobs-Wagner, Christine (National Academy of Sciences, 2019-06-17)
Lyme disease is a multisystem disorder caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. A common late-stage complication of this disease is oligoarticular arthritis, often involving the knee. In ∼10% of cases, arthritis persists after appropriate antibiotic treatment, leading to a proliferative synovitis typical of chronic inflammatory arthritides. Here, we provide evidence that peptidoglycan (PG), a major component of the B. burgdorferi cell envelope, may contribute to the development and persistence of Lyme arthritis (LA). We show that B. burgdorferi has a chemically atypical PG (PGBb) that is not recycled during cell-wall turnover. Instead, this pathogen sheds PGBb fragments into its environment during growth. Patients with LA mount a specific immunoglobulin G response against PGBb, which is significantly higher in the synovial fluid than in the serum of the same patient. We also detect PGBb in 94% of synovial fluid samples (32 of 34) from patients with LA, many of whom had undergone oral and intravenous antibiotic treatment. These same synovial fluid samples contain proinflammatory cytokines, similar to those produced by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with PGBb. In addition, systemic administration of PGBb in BALB/c mice elicits acute arthritis. Altogether, our study identifies PGBb as a likely contributor to inflammatory responses in LA. Persistence of this antigen in the joint may contribute to synovitis after antibiotics eradicate the pathogen. Furthermore, our finding that B. burgdorferi sheds immunogenic PGBb fragments during growth suggests a potential role for PGBb in the immunopathogenesis of other Lyme disease manifestations.
Borrelia burgdorferi SpoVG DNA- and RNA-Binding Protein Modulates the Physiology of the Lyme Disease Spirochete
Savage, Christina R.; Jutras, Brandon L.; Bestor, Aaron; Tilly, Kit; Rosa, Patricia A.; Tourand, Yvonne; Stewart, Philip E.; Brissette, Catherine A.; Stevenson, Brian (American Society for Microbiology, 2018-06-01)
BpaB, a novel protein encoded by the Lyme disease spirochete’s cp32 prophages, binds to erp Operator 2 DNA
Burns, Logan H.; Adams, Claire A.; Riley, Sean P.; Jutras, Brandon L.; Bowman, Amy; Chenail, Alicia M.; Cooley, Anne E.; Haselhorst, Laura A.; Moore, Alisha M.; Babb, Kelly; Fried, Michael G.; Stevenson, Brian (Oxford University Press, 2010)
Borrelia burgdorferi produces Erp outer surface proteins throughout mammalian infection, but represses their synthesis during colonization of vector ticks. A DNA region 50 of the start of erp transcription, Operator 2, was previously shown to be essential for regulation of expression. We now report identification and characterization of a novel erp Operator 2-binding protein, which we named BpaB. erp operons are located on episomal cp32 prophages, and a single bacterium may contain as many as 10 different cp32s. Each cp32 family member encodes a unique BpaB protein, yet the three tested cp32-encoded BpaB alleles all bound to the same DNA sequence. A 20-bp region of erp Operator 2 was determined to be essential for BpaB binding, and initial protein binding to that site was required for binding of additional BpaB molecules. A 36-residue region near the BpaB carboxy terminus was found to be essential for high-affinity DNA-binding. BpaB competed for binding to erp Operator 2 with a second B. burgdorferi DNAbinding protein, EbfC. Thus, cellular levels of free BpaB and EbfC could potentially control erp transcription levels.
Broad spectrum immunomodulatory effects of Anopheles gambiae microRNAs and their use for transgenic suppression of Plasmodium
Dong, Shengzhang; Fu, Xiaonan; Dong, Yuemei; Simoes, Maria L.; Zhu, Jinsong; Dimopoulos, George (2020-04)
Malaria, caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium and transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, represents a major threat to human health. Plasmodium's infection cycle in the Anopheles vector is critical for transmission of the parasite between humans. The midgut-stage bottleneck of infection is largely imposed by the mosquito's innate immune system. microRNAs (miRNAs, small noncoding RNAs that bind to target RNAs to regulate gene expression) are also involved in regulating immunity and the anti-Plasmodium defense in mosquitoes. Here, we characterized the mosquito's miRNA responses to Plasmodium infection using an improved crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (CLIP) method, termed covalent ligation of endogenous Argonaute-bound RNAs (CLEAR)-CLIP. Three candidate miRNAs' influence on P. falciparum infection and midgut microbiota was studied through transgenically expressed miRNA sponges (miR-SPs) in midgut and fat body tissues. MiR-SPs mediated conditional depletion of aga-miR-14 or aga-miR-305, but not aga-miR-8, increased mosquito resistance to both P. falciparum and P. berghei infection, and enhanced the mosquitoes' antibacterial defenses. Transcriptome analysis revealed that depletion of aga-miR-14 or aga-miR-305 resulted in an increased expression of multiple immunity-related and anti-Plasmodium genes in mosquito midguts. The overall fitness cost of conditionally expressed miR-SPs was low, with only one of eight fitness parameters being adversely affected. Taken together, our results demonstrate that targeting mosquito miRNA by conditional expression of miR-SPs may have potential for the development of malaria control through genetically engineered mosquitoes. Author summary Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite that is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. The mosquito's innate immune system plays an important role in controlling parasite infection. We have identified mosquito microRNAs (miRNAs) that are involved in regulating mosquito immunity to parasite infection. Transgenic mosquitoes that deplete the immunity-related miRNAs aga-miR-14 or aga-miR-305 through miRNA sponges, show increased resistance to both human and rodent parasite infection, and enhanced antibacterial defenses. Depletion of aga-miR-14 or aga-miR-305 resulted in an increased expression of multiple immunity-related and anti-Plasmodium genes, and the overall fitness cost of transgenic mosquitoes upon depletion of aga-miR-14 or aga-miR-305 was negligible. We show that targeting mosquito miRNA by transgenic expression of miRNA sponges may have potential for the development of malaria control through genetically engineered mosquitoes.
Broccoli Fluorets: Split Aptamers as a User-Friendly Fluorescent Toolkit for Dynamic RNA Nanotechnology
Chandler, Morgan; Lyalina, Tatiana; Halman, Justin; Rackley, Lauren; Lee, Lauren; Dang, Dylan; Ke, Weina; Sajja, Sameer; Woods, Steven; Acharya, Shrija; Baumgarten, Elijah; Christopher, Jonathan; Elshalia, Emman; Hrebien, Gabriel; Kublank, Kinzey; Saleh, Saja; Stallings, Bailey; Tafere, Michael; Striplin, Caryn; Afonin, Kirill A. (MDPI, 2018-12-02)
RNA aptamers selected to bind fluorophores and activate their fluorescence offer a simple and modular way to visualize native RNAs in cells. Split aptamers which are inactive until the halves are brought within close proximity can become useful for visualizing the dynamic actions of RNA assemblies and their interactions in real time with low background noise and eliminated necessity for covalently attached dyes. Here, we design and test several sets of F30 Broccoli aptamer splits, that we call fluorets, to compare their relative fluorescence and physicochemical stabilities. We show that the splits can be simply assembled either through one-pot thermal annealing or co-transcriptionally, thus allowing for direct tracking of transcription reactions via the fluorescent response. We suggest a set of rules that enable for the construction of responsive biomaterials that readily change their fluorescent behavior when various stimuli such as the presence of divalent ions, exposure to various nucleases, or changes in temperature are applied. We also show that the strand displacement approach can be used to program the controllable fluorescent responses in isothermal conditions. Overall, this work lays a foundation for the future development of dynamic systems for molecular computing which can be used to monitor real-time processes in cells and construct biocompatible logic gates.
Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), genome: putative underpinnings of polyphagy, insecticide resistance potential and biology of a top worldwide pest
Sparks, Michael E.; Bansal, Raman; Benoit, Joshua B.; Blackburn, Michael B.; Chao, Hsu; Chen, Mengyao; Cheng, Sammy; Childers, Christopher; Dinh, Huyen; Doddapaneni, Harsha V.; Dugan, Shannon; Elpidina, Elena N.; Farrow, David W.; Friedrich, Markus; Gibbs, Richard A.; Hall, Brantley; Han, Yi; Hardy, Richard W.; Holmes, Christopher J.; Hughes, Daniel S. T.; Ioannidis, Panagiotis; Cheatle Jarvela, Alys M.; Johnston, J. Spencer; Jones, Jeffery W.; Kronmiller, Brent A.; Kung, Faith; Lee, Sandra L.; Martynov, Alexander G.; Masterson, Patrick; Maumus, Florian; Munoz-Torres, Monica; Murali, Shwetha C.; Murphy, Terence D.; Muzny, Donna M.; Nelson, David R.; Oppert, Brenda; Panfilio, Kristen A.; Paula, Débora P.; Pick, Leslie; Poelchau, Monica F.; Qu, Jiaxin; Reding, Katie; Rhoades, Joshua H.; Rhodes, Adelaide; Richards, Stephen; Richter, Rose; Robertson, Hugh M.; Rosendale, Andrew J.; Tu, Zhijian Jake; Velamuri, Arun S.; Waterhouse, Robert M.; Weirauch, Matthew T.; Wells, Jackson T.; Werren, John H.; Worley, Kim C.; Zdobnov, Evgeny M.; Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn E. (2020-03-14)
Background Halyomorpha halys (Stål), the brown marmorated stink bug, is a highly invasive insect species due in part to its exceptionally high levels of polyphagy. This species is also a nuisance due to overwintering in human-made structures. It has caused significant agricultural losses in recent years along the Atlantic seaboard of North America and in continental Europe. Genomic resources will assist with determining the molecular basis for this species’ feeding and habitat traits, defining potential targets for pest management strategies. Results Analysis of the 1.15-Gb draft genome assembly has identified a wide variety of genetic elements underpinning the biological characteristics of this formidable pest species, encompassing the roles of sensory functions, digestion, immunity, detoxification and development, all of which likely support H. halys’ capacity for invasiveness. Many of the genes identified herein have potential for biomolecular pesticide applications. Conclusions Availability of the H. halys genome sequence will be useful for the development of environmentally friendly biomolecular pesticides to be applied in concert with more traditional, synthetic chemical-based controls.

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