Genomic Analysis of an Ascomycete Fungus from the Rice Planthopper Reveals How It Adapts to an Endosymbiotic Lifestyle.

ABSTRACT: A number of sap-sucking insects harbor endosymbionts, which are thought to play an important role in the development of their hosts. One of the most important rice pests, the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), harbors an obligatory yeast-like symbiont (YLS) that cannot be cultured in vitro. Genomic information on this YLS would be useful to better understand its evolution. In this study, we performed genome sequencing of the YLS using both 454 and Illumina approaches, generating a draft genome that shows a slightly smaller genome size and relatively higher GC content than most ascomycete fungi. A phylogenomic analysis of the YLS supported its close relationship with insect pathogens. We analyzed YLS-specific genes and the categories of genes that are likely to have changed

SUBMITTER: Fan HW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4607526 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature