Guan De-Long, Chen Ya-Zhen, Qin Ying-Can, Li Xiao-Dong, Deng Wei-An
Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guilin 541006, China.
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sericulture Ecology and Applied Intelligent Technology, School of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Hechi University, Hechi 546300, China.
Insects. 2024 Mar 25;15(4):223. doi: 10.3390/insects15040223.
The pygmy grasshopper, , is a Chinese endemic species with an exceedingly limited distribution and fragile population structure, rendering it vulnerable to extinction. We present a high-continuity, chromosome-scale reference genome assembly to elucidate this species' distinctive biology and inform conservation. Employing an integrated sequencing approach, we achieved a 970.40 Mb assembly with 96.32% coverage across seven pseudo-chromosomes and impressive continuity (N50 > 220 Mb). Genome annotation achieves identification with 99.2% BUSCO completeness, supporting quality. Comparative analyses with 14 genomes from Orthoptera-facilitated phylogenomics and revealed 549 significantly expanded gene families in associated with metabolism, stress response, and development. However, genomic analysis exposed remarkably low heterozygosity (0.02%), implying a severe genetic bottleneck from small, fragmented populations, characteristic of species vulnerable to extinction from environmental disruptions. Elucidating the genetic basis of population dynamics and specialization provides an imperative guideline for habitat conservation and restoration of this rare organism. Moreover, divergent evolution analysis of the CYP305m2 gene regulating locust aggregation highlighted potential structural and hence functional variations between Acrididae and Tetrigidae. Our chromosomal genomic characterization of advances Orthopteran resources, establishing a framework for evolutionary developmental explorations and applied conservation genomics, reversing the trajectory of this unique grasshopper lineage towards oblivion.
pygmy蚱蜢是中国特有的物种，分布极为有限，种群结构脆弱，极易灭绝。我们提供了一个高连续性、染色体级别的参考基因组组装，以阐明该物种独特的生物学特性并为保护工作提供信息。采用综合测序方法，我们获得了一个970.40 Mb的组装序列，覆盖七条假染色体的96.32%，连续性令人印象深刻（N50 > 220 Mb）。基因组注释达到了99.2%的BUSCO完整性，保证了质量。与直翅目14个基因组的比较分析促进了系统发育基因组学研究，并揭示了在与代谢、应激反应和发育相关的 中549个显著扩张的基因家族。然而，基因组分析显示杂合度极低（0.02%），这意味着来自小而分散的种群存在严重的遗传瓶颈，这是易因环境干扰而灭绝的物种的特征。阐明种群动态和特化的遗传基础为这种珍稀生物的栖息地保护和恢复提供了必要的指导方针。此外，对调节蝗虫聚集的CYP305m2基因的趋异进化分析突出了蝗科和蚱科之间潜在的结构以及因此产生的功能差异。我们对 的染色体基因组特征研究推进了直翅目资源的发展，建立了一个进化发育探索和应用保护基因组学的框架，扭转了这种独特蚱蜢谱系走向灭绝的轨迹。
