ABSTRACT
The Mediterranean corn borer (Sesamia nonagrioides, Noctuidae, Lepidoptera) is a major pest of maize in Europe and Africa. Here, we report an assembly of the nuclear and mitochondrial genome of a pool of inbred males and females third-instar larvae, based on short- and long-read sequencing. The complete mitochondrial genome is 15,330 bp and contains all expected 13 and 24 protein-coding and RNA genes, respectively. The nuclear assembly is 1021 Mb, composed of 2553 scaffolds and it has an N50 of 1105 kb. It is more than twice larger than that of all Noctuidae species sequenced to date, mainly due to a higher repeat content. A total of 17,230 protein-coding genes were predicted, including 15,776 with InterPro domains. We provide detailed annotation of genes involved in sex determination (doublesex, insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein, and P-element somatic inhibitor) and of alpha-amylase genes possibly involved in interaction with parasitoid wasps. We found no evidence of recent horizontal transfer of bracovirus genes from parasitoid wasps. These genome assemblies provide a solid molecular basis to study insect genome evolution and to further develop biocontrol strategies against S. nonagrioides.
Subject(s)
Genome, Mitochondrial , Moths , Wasps , Animals , Zea mays/genetics , Moths/genetics , Wasps/genetics , LarvaABSTRACT
Dissecting the genetic basis of intraspecific variations in life history traits is essential to understand their evolution, notably for potential biocontrol agents. Such variations are observed in the endoparasitoid Cotesia typhae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), specialized on the pest Sesamia nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Previously, we identified two strains of C. typhae that differed significantly for life history traits on an allopatric host population. To investigate the genetic basis underlying these phenotypic differences, we used a quantitative trait locus (QTL) approach based on restriction site-associated DNA markers. The characteristic of C. typhae reproduction allowed us generating sisters sharing almost the same genetic content, named clonal sibship. Crosses between individuals from the two strains were performed to generate F2 and F8 recombinant CSS. The genotypes of 181 clonal sibships were determined as well as the phenotypes of the corresponding 4,000 females. Informative markers were then used to build a high-quality genetic map. These 465 markers spanned a total length of 1,300 cM and were organized in 10 linkage groups which corresponded to the number of C. typhae chromosomes. Three QTLs were detected for parasitism success and two for offspring number, while none were identified for sex ratio. The QTLs explained, respectively, 27.7% and 24.5% of the phenotypic variation observed. The gene content of the genomic intervals was investigated based on the genome of C. congregata and revealed 67 interesting candidates, as potentially involved in the studied traits, including components of the venom and of the symbiotic virus (bracovirus) shown to be necessary for parasitism success in related wasps.
Subject(s)
Polydnaviridae , Wasps , Animals , Female , Genetic Linkage , Phenotype , Polydnaviridae/genetics , Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics , Reproduction/genetics , Wasps/geneticsABSTRACT
Many parasitoid species are subjected to strong selective pressures from their host, and their adaptive response may result in the formation of genetically differentiated populations, called host races. When environmental factors and reproduction traits prevent gene flow, host races become distinct species. Such a process has recently been documented within the Cotesia flavipes species complex, all of which are larval parasitoids of moth species whose larvae are stem borers of Poales. A previous study on the African species C. sesamiae, incorporating molecular, ecological and biological data on various samples, showed that a particular population could be considered as a distinct species, because it was specialized at both host (Sesamia nonagrioides) and plant (Typha domingensis) levels, and reproductively isolated from other C. sesamiae. Due to its potential for the biological control of S. nonagrioides, a serious corn pest in Mediterranean countries and even in Iran, we describe here Cotesia typhae Fernandez-Triana sp. n. The new species is characterized on the basis of morphological, molecular, ecological and geographical data, which proved to be useful for future collection and rapid identification of the species within the species complex. Fecundity traits and parasitism success on African and European S. nonagrioides populations, estimated by laboratory studies, are also included.
