Work

Horizontally transferred fungal carotenoid genes in the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: Carotenoids are organic pigments commonly synthesized by plants, algae and some micro-organisms. Through absorption of light energy, carotenoids facilitate photosynthesis and provide protection against photo-oxidation. While it was presumed that all carotenoids in animals were sequestered from their diets, aphids were recently shown to harbour genomic copies of functional carotenoid biosynthesis genes that were acquired via horizontal gene transfer from fungi. Our search of available animal transcripts revealed the presence of two related genes in the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the T. urticae genes were transferred from fungi into the spider mite genome, probably in a similar manner as recently suggested for aphids. The genes are expressed in both green and red morphs, with red morphs exhibiting higher levels of gene expression. Additionally, there appear to be changes in the expression of these genes during diapause. As carotenoids are associated with diapause induction in these animals, our results add to recent findings highlighting the importance of eukaryotic horizontal gene transfer in the ecology and evolution of higher animals.

Source: Biology Letters

DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0704

Authors: Boran Altincicek, Jennifer L. Kovacs, Nicole M. Gerardo

Institutions: University of Bonn, Emory University

Language: English

Topic: Chromosomal and Genetic Variations

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: green

Funders: Emory University, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, National Institutes of Health