Cytogenomics of the treehoppers pest Aetalion reticulatum: analysis of repetitive DNAs and B chromosomes

• Grant number: 18/21772-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Diogo Cavalcanti Cabral de Mello
• Grantee: Vanessa Bellini Bardella
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/16661-1 - Sex and B chromosome enigmas: model systems for the study of chromosome and genome evolution, AP.TEM

Abstract

Repetitive DNAs comprise large portion of eukaryotic genomes, playing role in their structure, evolution and functionality. Studies of this genome fraction are negligence in projects of genome analysis due to the difficulty to assembly. B chromosomes are supernumerary elements, enriched of repetitive DNAs, which could be transcribed and have interference in functional aspects to their hosts. It is highlighted also in recent works the presence of functional genes in the supernumerary chromosomes. Although extensive knowledge about B chromosomes were accumulated, they were not properly investigated in biological models with holocentric chromosomes, and there are extensive gaps about composition and evolution. Genomic studies contribute to the understanding of biology and species evolution, and are also basic knowledge to insect control programs, although little information about genomic and chromosomal organization is available for pest species in Brazil. The Hemiptera Aetalion reticulatum is one pest species from fructiferous plants with large populations occurring in some Brazilian provinces. In our recent chromosomal and genomic studies in this species with holocentric chromosomes we detected the presence of B chromosomes. The perspective of analysis of this species in chromosomal and genomic studies will allow answering questions about origin, evolution and functionality of B chromosomes in species with holocentric chromosomes. The data will allow advances in the understanding of genomics organization and will open avenues to other genomic and transcriptional studies and moreover in understanding of putative role and functionality of B chromosomes in the species, data that could be useful for application in agricultural pest management of the species.

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PEREIRA, JAQUELINE A.; MILANI, DIOGO; FERRETTI, ANA BEATRIZ S. M.; BARDELLA, VANESSA B.; CABRAL-DE-MELLO, DIOGO C.; LOPES, DENILCE M.. The extensive amplification of heterochromatin in Melipona bees revealed by high throughput genomic and chromosomal analysis. CHROMOSOMA, v. 130, n. 4, NOV 2021. (20/06188-5, 19/19069-7, 18/21772-5)

BARDELLA, VANESSA BELLINI; MILANI, DIOGO; CABRAL-DE-MELLO, DIOGO CAVALCANTI. Analysis ofHolhymenia histriogenome provides insight into the satDNA evolution in an insect with holocentric chromosomes. Chromosome Research, v. 28, n. 3-4, p. 369-380, DEC 2020. (19/19069-7, 18/21772-5)

HICKMANN, FREDERICO; CORREA, ALBERTO SOARES; BARDELLA, VANESSA B.; MILANI, DIOGO; CLARINDO, WELLINGTON R.; SOARES, FERNANDA A. F.; CARVALHO, RENATA F.; MONDIN, MATEUS; CABRAL-DE-MELLO, DIOGO C.. Cytogenomic characterization of Euschistus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) species and strains reveals low chromosomal and repetitive DNAs divergences. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. N/A, p. 18-pg., 2023-09-01. (18/21772-5, 19/19069-7, 18/20351-6, 21/05908-7)

GASPAROTTO, ANA E.; MILANI, DIOGO; MARTI, EMILIANO; FERRETTI, ANA BEATRIZ S. M.; BARDELLA, VANESSA B.; HICKMANN, FREDERICO; ZRZAVA, MAGDA; MAREC, FRANTISEK; CABRAL-DE-MELLO, DIOGO C.. A step forward in the genome characterization of the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis: karyotype analysis, sex chromosome system and repetitive DNAs through a cytogenomic approach. CHROMOSOMA, v. 131, n. 4, p. 15-pg., 2022-10-11. (21/05908-7, 20/06188-5, 19/19069-7, 18/21772-5, 18/20351-6)