Journal Article

Comparative Genomics Reveals Insights into the Divergent Evolution of Astigmatic Mites and Household Pest Adaptations

Nong, Wenyan, Liu, Xiaoyu, Liu, Zhigang, Leung, Elaine Lai-Han, Au, Shannon Wing-Ngor, Zhong, Nanshan, Cui, Yubao, Yang, Kevin Yi, Shin, Soo-Kyung, Leung, Ting-Fan, Hui, Jerome Ho-Lam, Malainual, Nat, Xiong, Qing, Jeong, Kyoung Yong, Fung, Cathy Sin-Hang, Wang, Lingyi, Chew, Fook-Tim, Xiao, Xiaojun, Wan, Angel Tsz-Yau, Tungtrongchitr, Anchalee, Tsui, Stephen Kwok-Wing, Wang, Mingqiang, Hou, Jinpao

2022

Overview

Abstract Highly diversified astigmatic mites comprise many medically important human household pests such as house dust mites causing ∼1–2% of all allergic diseases globally; however, their evolutionary origin and diverse lifestyles including reversible parasitism have not been illustrated at the genomic level, which hampers allergy prevention and our exploration of these household pests. Using six high-quality assembled and annotated genomes, this study not only refuted the monophyly of mites and ticks, but also thoroughly explored the divergence of Acariformes and the diversification of astigmatic mites. In monophyletic Acariformes, Prostigmata known as notorious plant pests first evolved, and then rapidly evolving Astigmata diverged from soil oribatid mites. Within astigmatic mites, a wide range of gene families rapidly expanded via tandem gene duplications, including ionotropic glutamate receptors, triacylglycerol lipases, serine proteases and UDP glucuronosyltransferases. Gene diversification after tandem duplications provides many genetic resources for adaptation to sensing environmental signals, digestion, and detoxification in rapidly changing household environments. Many gene decay events only occurred in the skin-burrowing parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Throughout the evolution of Acariformes, massive horizontal gene transfer events occurred in gene families such as UDP glucuronosyltransferases and several important fungal cell wall lytic enzymes, which enable detoxification and digestive functions and provide perfect drug targets for pest control. This comparative study sheds light on the divergent evolution and quick adaptation to human household environments of astigmatic mites and provides insights into the genetic adaptations and even control of human household pests.

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Subject: Acariformes / Adaptation / Adaptation, Physiological - genetics / Allergic diseases / Allergic reaction / Allergies / Allergy / Cell walls / Comparative studies / Detoxification / Discoveries / Divergence / Divergent evolution / Evolution / Gene families / Gene transfer / Genetic resources / Genome / Genomes / Genomics / Glutamic acid receptors (ionotropic) / Horizontal transfer / House dust / Households / Humans / Lytic enzymes / Mites / Parasitism / Pest control / Pests / Plants / Proteases / Scientific equipment and supplies industry / Serine proteinase / Therapeutic targets / Ticks / Triglycerides / Uridine Diphosphate