The genomic basis of adaptation to different host environments in a parasitoid wasp

• Many insect species are infected by parasitic wasps in a constantly evolving network of interactions. Understanding the genetics of population differentiation in parasitic wasps is therefore important in the study of species diversity. Asecodes parviclava is a koinobiont endoparasitic wasp that exhibits large population variation in virulence when attacking host beetle species across Sweden. In this study, we sequenced, de novo assembled and annotated the entire genome of A. parviclava. Final assembly had a size = 384 Mbp, contained 11,196 scaffolds with a N50 = 302.549 kbp. Using an ab initio evidence-driven approach, 22,290 protein-coding genes were identified and functionally annotated. Using this genome we then performed a population genomic scan for selective patterns by generating whole genome re-sequencing data from individual wasps from 11 populations and using FST-based approaches. Finally, we searched specifically across sets of candidate venom and chemosensory genes, which may be the key traits leading to population differentiation. With 1% of SNPs as FST outliers, several regions of the genome appeared to be under strong selection. Specifically, candidate regions responsible for virulence variations included genes involved in the inhibition of host immune systems and odorant/gustatory receptors. Our study identified important regions and genes underlying mechanisms of host adaptations in parasitic wasps.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Evolutionsbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Evolutionary Biology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Genetics

population genetics

parasitoid

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)