Genomes of trombidid mites reveal novel predicted allergens and laterally transferred genes associated with secondary metabolism
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Abstract
Background
Trombidid mites have a unique life cycle in which only the larval stage is ectoparasitic. In the superfamily Trombiculoidea (“chiggers”), the larvae feed preferentially on vertebrates, including humans. Species in the genus Leptotrombidium are vectors of a potentially fatal bacterial infection, scrub typhus, that affects 1 million people annually. Moreover, chiggers can cause pruritic dermatitis (trombiculiasis) in humans and domesticated animals. In the Trombidioidea (velvet mites), the larvae feed on other arthropods and are potential biological control agents for agricultural pests. Here, we present the first trombidid mites genomes, obtained both for a chigger, Leptotrombidium deliense, and for a velvet mite, Dinothrombium tinctorium.
Results
Sequencing was performed using Illumina technology. A 180 Mb draft assembly for D. tinctorium was generated from two paired-end and one mate-pair library using a single adult specimen. For L. deliense, a lower-coverage draft assembly (117 Mb) was obtained using pooled, engorged larvae with a single paired-end library. Remarkably, both genomes exhibited evidence of ancient lateral gene transfer from soil-derived bacteria or fungi. The transferred genes confer functions that are rare in animals, including terpene and carotenoid synthesis. Thirty-seven allergenic protein families were predicted in the L. deliense genome, of which nine were unique. Preliminary proteomic analyses identified several of these putative allergens in larvae.
Conclusions
Trombidid mite genomes appear to be more dynamic than those of other acariform mites. A priority for future research is to determine the biological function of terpene synthesis in this taxon and its potential for exploitation in disease control.
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Now published in GigaScience doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giy127
Xiaofeng Dong 1Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom2Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China3School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China4Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteKittipong Chaisiri 4Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, United Kingdom5Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi Bangkok 10400, ThailandFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteDong Xia 4Institute of Infection & Global …
Now published in GigaScience doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giy127
Xiaofeng Dong 1Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom2Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China3School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China4Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteKittipong Chaisiri 4Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, United Kingdom5Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi Bangkok 10400, ThailandFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteDong Xia 4Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, United Kingdom6The Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteORCID record for Dong XiaStuart D. Armstrong 4Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteYongxiang Fang 1Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteORCID record for Yongxiang FangMartin J. Donnelly 7Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteORCID record for Martin J. DonnellyTatsuhiko Kadowaki 2Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteORCID record for Tatsuhiko KadowakiJohn W. McGarry 8Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RP, United Kingdom.Find this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteAlistair C. Darby 1Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteORCID record for Alistair C. DarbyBenjamin L. Makepeace 4Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, United KingdomFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteORCID record for Benjamin L. MakepeaceFor correspondence: blm1@liv.ac.uk
A version of this preprint has been published in the Open Access journal GigaScience (see paper https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giy127 ), where the paper and peer reviews are published openly under a CC-BY 4.0 license.
These peer reviews were as follows:
Reviewer 1: http://dx.doi.org/10.5524/REVIEW.101420 Reviewer 2: http://dx.doi.org/10.5524/REVIEW.101421
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