AUTHOR=Guo Wenfeng , Wang Wei , Tang Jun , Li Tianyu , Li Xiaoqiong 

TITLE=Genome analysis and genomic comparison of a fungal cultivar of the nonsocial weevil Euops chinensis reveals its plant decomposition and protective roles in fungus-farming mutualism

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1048910

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1048910

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Fungus-farming mutualisms are models for studying co-evolutionary among species. Compared to well-documented fungus-farming in social insects, the molecular aspects of fungus-farming mutualisms in nonsocial insects have been poorly explored. <italic>Euops chinensis</italic> is a solitary leaf-rolling weevil feeding on Japanese knotweed (<italic>Fallopia japonica</italic>). This pest has evolved a special proto-farming bipartite mutualism with the fungus <italic>Penicillium herquei</italic>, which provide nutrition and defensive protection for the <italic>E. chinensis</italic> larvae. Here, the genome of <italic>P. herquei</italic> was sequenced, and the structure and specific gene categories in the <italic>P. herquei</italic> genome were then comprehensively compared with the other two well-studied <italic>Penicillium</italic> species (<italic>P. decumbens</italic> and <italic>P. chrysogenum</italic>). The assembled <italic>P. herquei</italic> genome had a 40.25  Mb genome size with 46.7% GC content. A diverse set of genes associating with carbohydrate-active enzymes, cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, transporter, and terpenoid biosynthesis were detected in the <italic>P. herquei</italic> genome. Comparative genomics demonstrate that the three <italic>Penicillium</italic> species show similar metabolic and enzymatic potential, however, <italic>P. herquei</italic> has more genes associated with plant biomass degradation and defense but less genes associating with virulence pathogenicity. Our results provide molecular evidence for plant substrate breakdown and protective roles of <italic>P. herquei</italic> in <italic>E. chinensis</italic> mutualistic system. Large metabolic potential shared by <italic>Penicillium</italic> species at the genus level may explain why some <italic>Penicillium</italic> species are recruited by the <italic>Euops</italic> weevils as crop fungi.</p>