The genome sequence of a spider mite,Tetranychustruncatus, provides insights into interspecific host rangevariation and the genetic basis of adaptation to a low-qualityhost plant

The phytophagous miteTetranychus truncatusis a serious pest in East Asiabut has a relatively narrower host range than the pest miteTetranychus urticae,which canfeed on over 1200 plant species.Here,we generated a high-quality chromosomal levelgenome ofT.truncatusand compared it with that ofT.urticae,with an emphasis on thegenes related to detoxification and chemoreception,to explore the genomic basis under-lying the evolution of host range.We also conducted population genetics analyses(in 86females from 10 populations)and host transfer experiments(in 4 populations)to investi-gate transcription changes following transfer to a low-quality host(Solanum melongena,eggplant),and we established possible connections between fitness on eggplant and genesrelated to detoxification and chemoreception.We found thatT.truncatushas fewer genesrelated to detoxification,transport,and chemoreception thanT.urticae,with a particularlystrong reduction in gustatory receptor(GR)genes.We also found widespread transcrip-tional variation amongT.truncatuspopulations,which varied in fitness on eggplant.Wecharacterized selection on detoxification-related genes throughωvalues and found a nega-tive correlation between expression levels andωvalues.Based on the transcription results,as well as the fitness and genetic differences among populations,we identified genes po-tentially involved in adaptation to eggplant inT.truncatus.Our work provides a genomicresource for this pest mite and new insights into mechanisms underlying the adaptation ofherbivorous mites to host plants.

Development and characterization of a guinea pig model for Marburg virus

The Angolan strain of Marburg virus （MARV/Ang） can cause lethal disease in humans with a case fatality rate of up to 90%, but infection of immunocompetent rodents do not result in any observable symptoms. Our previous work includes the development and characterization of a MARV/Ang variant that can cause lethal disease in mice （MARV/Ang-MA）, with the aim of using this tool to screen for promising prophylactic and therapeutic candidates. An intermediate animal model is needed to confirm any findings from mice studies before testing in the gold-standard non-human primate （NHP） model. In this study, we serially passaged the clinical isolate of MARV/Ang in the livers and spleens of guinea pigs until a variant emerged that causes 100% lethality in guinea pigs （MARV/Ang- GA）. Animals infected with MARV/Ang-GA showed signs of filovirus infection including lymphocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and high viremia leading to spread to major organs, including the liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. The MARV/Ang-GA guinea pigs died between 7-9 days after infection, and the LD50 was calculated to be 1.1x10-1 TCID50 （median tissue culture infective dose）. Mutations in MARV/Ang-GA were identified and compared to sequences of known rodent-adapted MARV/Ang variants, which may benefit future studies characterizing important host adaptation sites in the MARV/Ang viral genome.

Genome of the Giant Panda Roundworm Illuminates Its Host Shift and Parasitic Adaptation

Baylisascaris schroederi,a roundworm(ascaridoid)parasite specific to the bamboofeeding giant panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca),represents a leading cause of mortality in wild giant panda populations.Here,we present a 293-megabase chromosome-level genome assembly of B.schroederi to infer its biology,including host adaptations.Comparative genomics revealed an evolutionary trajectory accompanied by host-shift events in ascaridoid parasite lineages after host separations,suggesting their potential for transmission and rapid adaptation to new hosts.Genomic and anatomical lines of evidence,including expansion and positive selection of genes related to the cuticle and basal metabolisms,indicate that B.schroederi undergoes specific adaptations to survive in the sharp-edged bamboo-enriched gut of giant pandas by structurally increasing its cuticle thickness and efficiently utilizing host nutrients through gut parasitism.Additionally,we characterized the secretome of B.schroederi and predicted potential drug and vaccine targets for new control strategies.Overall,this genome resource provides new insights into the host adaptation of B.schroederi to the giant panda as well as the host-shift events in ascaridoid parasite lineages.Our findings on the unique biology of B.schroederi will also aid in the development of prevention and treatment measures to protect giant panda populations from roundworm parasitism.

Role of digestive protease enzymes and related genes in host plant adaptation of a polyphagous pest,Spodoptera frugiperda

The evolutionary success of phytophagous insects depends on their ability toefficiently exploit plants as a source of energy for survival.Herbivorous insects largelydepend on the efficiency,flexibility,and diversity of their digestive physiology and sophistication of their detoxification system to use chemically diverse host plants as foodsources.The fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda(J.E.Smith),is a polyphagous pest ofmany commercially important crops.To elucidate the ability of this insect pest to adaptto host plant mechanisms,we evaluated the impact of primary(corn)and alternate(rice)host plants after 1l generations on gut digestive enzymatic activity and expression profiles of related genes.Results indicated that the total protease and classspecific trypsinand chymotrypsinlike protease activity of S.frugiperda significantly differed among hostplant treatments.The classspecifiq protease profiles greatly differed in S.frugiperdamidguts upon larval exposure to different treatments with inhibitors compared with treatments without inhibitors.Similarly,the single and cumulative effects of the enzymespecific inhibitors TLCK,TPCK,and E64 significantly increased larval mortality and reduced larval growth/mass across different plant treatments.Furthermore,the quantitativereverse transcription polymerase chain reaction results revealed increased transcription oftwo trypsin(SfTry3,SfTry7)and one chymotrypsin gene(Sfchym9),which indicatedthat they have roles in host plant adaptation.Knockdown of these genes resulted in significantly reduced mRNA expression levels of the trypsin genes.This was related to theincreased mortality observed in treatments compared with the dsRED control.This resultindicates possible roles of S.frugiperda gut digestive enzymes and related genes in hostplant adaptation.

Unravelling host-mediated effects on hemiparasitic Mexican mistletoe Psittacanthus calyculatus(DC.)G.Don traits linked to mutualisms with pollinators and seed dispersers

Aims While the influence of mistletoe-host interactions on each other’s evolution is well-recognized,the role of interactions between mis-tletoes and its mutualistic pollinators and seed dispersers mediated by host species is relatively unexplored.Methods Here,we examine the effects of host species(Mexican hawthorn Crataegus mexicana DC,black cherry Prunus serotina Ehrh.,leather-leaf Mexican oak Quercus crassipes Bonpl.)on flower morphology,nectar production,pollinator visitation rate and female reproduct-ive fitness in hemiparasitic Mexican mistletoe Psittacanthus caly-culatus(DC.)G.Don(Loranthaceae)populations at three different locations.We first measured the lengths of corolla,style,stamen,exerted stamen and anther,the length and width of the ovary and nectar availability for mistletoe flowers in natural populations.Then,we evaluated flower visitation and measured(length and width)and weighed the fruits and its seeds of mistletoes growing on each of the three host species.Finally,we evaluated the effects of host species,location and flower traits on fruit or seed size variation(both as proxies of reproductive fitness).Important Findings We found mistletoes growing on natural hosts P.serotina and Q.crassipes produced larger flowers,fruits and seeds than mistle-toes on cultivated C.mexicana.However,these differences varied across space.The amount of available nectar and hummingbird vis-itation rates in flowers of mistletoes on C.mexicana was higher at the three sites than in flowers of mistletoes on P.serotina or Q.cras-sipes.The effects of host species,study site and floral trait covariates affected significantly all fitness measures,indicating that mistletoes’reproductive fitness is affected differently depending on the host species and their site of occurrence.These host-associated differ-ences in reproduction might have implications for interactions with mutualistic vectors.

Potential adaptation of a Q biotype whitefly population from poinsettia to field crops

The invasive Q biotype whitefly was first detected in the US on poinsettia in 2004 and is still not a pest outside of greenhouse environments in the US. To assess the potential for the establishment of the Q biotype on field crops, population cage experiments were conducted to compare the performance of a poinsettia-derived Q population named P＇06 on poinsettia and six field crops （alfalfa, tomato, melon, cotton, cowpea and cabbage）. P＇06 adults reared on poinsettia as nymphs laid eggs on all six field crops. Significantly more eggs were laid on alfalfa, tomato, melon and cotton than on cabbage, cowpea and poinsettia. These eggs hatched and the nymphs developed to adults on the six field crops. Relative to poinsettia, whitefly survival was similar on cowpea, alfalfa, tomato and cabbage, but significantly higher on cotton and melon. Moreover, P＇06 had significantly shorter development times from egg to adult on cotton, melon, cowpea, tomato and alfalfa than they did on poinsettia. However, the F1 adults raised on the six field crops had significantly shorter lifespans and laid 11- to 18-fold fewer eggs than did the F1 adults raised on poinsettia. Taken together, while P＇06 may have some potential to establish on field crops, the shorter lifespans and extremely low fectmdities of the F1 adults raised on the six field crops suggests that P＇06 is incapable of rapidly adapting to them. Poor adaptation to field crops may explain, at least partially, why the Q biotype has not established in the US field system.

Cradle for the newborn Monochamus saltuarius:Microbial associates to ward off entomopathogens and disarm plant defense

The Japanese pine sawyer,Monochamus saltuarius,as a beetle vector of Bur-saphelenchus xylophilus(pine wood nematode),is an economically important forest pest in Eurasia.To feed on the phloem and xylem of conifers,M.saltuarius needs to overcome various stress factors,including coping with entomopathogenic bacteria and also various plant secondary compounds(PSCs).As an important adaptation strategy to colonize host trees,M.saltuarius deposit eggs in oviposition pits to shield their progeny.These pits har-bor bacterial communities that are involved in the host adaptation of M.saltuarius to the conifers.However,the composition,origin,and functions of these oviposition pit bacteria are rarely understood.In this study,we investigated the bacterial community associated with M.saltuarius oviposition pits and their ability to degrade PSCs.Results showed that the bacterial community structure of M.saltuarius oviposition pits significantly differed from that of uninfected phloem.Also,the oviposition pit bacteria were predicted to be enriched in PSC degradation pathways.The microbial community also harbored a lethal strain of Serratia,which was significantly inhibited.Meanwhile,metatranscriptome anal-ysis indicated that genes involved in PSCs degradation were expressed complementarily among the microbial communities of oviposition pits and secretions.In vitro degrada-tion showed that bacteria cultured from oviposition pits degraded more monoterpenes and flavonoids than bacteria cultured from uninfected phloem isolates.Disinfection of ovipo-sition pits increased the mortality of newly hatched larvae and resulted in a significant decrease in body weight in the early stages.Overall,our results reveal that M.saltuarius construct oviposition pits that harbor a diverse microbial community,with stronger PSCs degradation abilities and a low abundance of entomopathogenic bacteria,resulting in the increased fitness of newly hatched larvae.