Comparative RNA seq analysis of the New Zealand glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa reveals bioluminescence-related genes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The New Zealand glowworm is the larva of a carnivorous fungus gnat that produces bioluminescence to attract prey. The bioluminescent system of the glowworm is evolutionarily distinct from other well-characterised systems, especially that of the fireflies, and the molecules involved have not yet been identified. We have used high throughput sequencing technology to produce a transcriptome for the glowworm and identify transcripts encoding proteins that are likely to be involved in glowworm bioluminescence.

Results

Here we report the sequencing and annotation of the first transcriptome of the glowworm, and a differential analysis of expression from the glowworm light organ compared with non-light organ tissue. The analysis identified six transcripts encoding protein

SUBMITTER: Sharpe ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4617951 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature