Chromosome-level genome assembly of the sweet potato weevil, Cylas
formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae) and functional
characteristics of CforOBP4-6
Abstract
Cylas formicarius is one of the most important pests of sweet potato
worldwide, causing considerable ecological and economic damage. To
improve the effect of comprehensive management and understanding of
genetic mechanisms, the genetic functions of C. formicarius have been
the subject of intensive study. Using Illumina and PacBio sequencing, we
obtained a chromosome-level genome assembly of adult weevils from lines
inbred for 15 generations. The high-quality assembly obtained had a size
of 338.84 Mb, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 14.97 Mb and 34.23
Mb, respectively. In total, 157.51 Mb of repeat sequences and 11,907
protein-coding genes were predicted. A total of 337.06 Mb of genomic
sequences was located on the 11 chromosomes, and the sequence length
that could be used to determine the sequence and direction accounted for
99.03% of the total length of the associated chromosome. Comparative
genomic analysis showed that C. formicarius was sister to Dendroctonus
ponderosae, and C. formicarius diverged from D. ponderosae approximately
138.89 million years ago (Mya). Many important gene families that were
expanded in the C. formicarius genome were involved in the chemosensory
system. In an in-depth study, the binding assay results indicated that
CforOBP4-6 had strong binding affinities for sex pheromones and other
ligands. Overall, the high-quality C. formicarius genome provides a
valuable resource to reveal the molecular ecological basis, genetic
mechanism and evolutionary process of major agricultural pests, deepen
the understanding of environmental adaptability and apparent plasticity,
and provide new ideas and new technologies for ecologically sustainable
pest control.