Park Jeong Sun, Kim Jina, Kim Yeha, Kim Ki Hwan, Kwak Woori, Kim Iksoo
Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea.
Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, 14662, Republic of Korea.
Curr Genomics. 2025;26(2):118-128. doi: 10.2174/0113892029314148240820082402. Epub 2024 Aug 27.
The blackish cicada () exhibits unique characteristics and is one of the model cicadas found in the Korean Peninsula. It is a species of southern origin, prefers high temperatures, and is listed as a climate-sensitive indicator species in South Korea. Therefore, this species can be utilized to study the impact of climate change on the genetic diversity and structure of populations. However, research on the genome of is limited.
We sequenced the genome of an individual collected from South Korea and constructed a draft genome. Additionally, we collected ten specimens from each of the five regions in South Korea and identified single nucleotide variants (SNVs) for population genetic analysis. The sequencing library was constructed using the MGIEasy DNA Library Prep Kit and sequenced using the MGISEQ-2000 platform with 150-bp paired-end reads.
The draft genome of was approximately 5.0 Gb or 5.2 Gb, making it one of the largest genomes among insects. Population genetic analysis, which was conducted on four populations in South Korea, including both previously distributed and newly expanded regions, showed that Jeju Island, a remote southern island with the highest average temperature, formed an independent genetic group. However, there were no notable genetic differences among the inland populations selected based on varying average temperatures, indicating that the current population genetic composition on the Korean Peninsula is more reflective of biogeographic history rather than climate-induced genetic structures. Additionally, we unexpectedly observed that most individuals of collected in a specific locality were infected with microbes not commonly found in insects, necessitating further research on the pathogens within .
This study introduces the draft genome of , a climate-sensitive indicator species in South Korea. Population analysis results indicate that the current genetic structure of is driven by biogeographic history rather than just climate. The prevalence of widespread pathogen infections raises concerns about their impact on . Considering the scarcity of publicly available genomic resources related to the family Cicadidae, this draft genome and population data of are expected to serve as a valuable resource for various studies utilizing cicada genomes.
黑斑蝉（）具有独特的特征，是在朝鲜半岛发现的模式蝉类之一。它原产于南方，偏好高温，在韩国被列为气候敏感指示物种。因此，该物种可用于研究气候变化对种群遗传多样性和结构的影响。然而，关于黑斑蝉基因组的研究有限。
我们对从韩国采集的一只个体进行了基因组测序，并构建了基因组草图。此外，我们从韩国五个地区各采集了十个标本，鉴定单核苷酸变异（SNV）用于群体遗传分析。使用MGIEasy DNA文库制备试剂盒构建测序文库，并使用MGISEQ - 2000平台进行测序，读取150 bp的双端读数。
黑斑蝉的基因组草图约为5.0 Gb或5.2 Gb，使其成为昆虫中最大的基因组之一。对韩国四个种群进行的群体遗传分析，包括先前分布和新扩展的地区，结果表明，平均温度最高的偏远南部岛屿济州岛形成了一个独立的遗传群体。然而，基于不同平均温度选择的内陆种群之间没有明显的遗传差异，这表明朝鲜半岛目前的种群遗传组成更多地反映了生物地理历史，而非气候诱导的遗传结构。此外，我们意外地观察到，在一个特定地点采集的大多数黑斑蝉个体感染了昆虫中不常见的微生物，这需要对黑斑蝉体内的病原体进行进一步研究。
本研究介绍了韩国气候敏感指示物种黑斑蝉的基因组草图。群体分析结果表明，黑斑蝉目前的遗传结构是由生物地理历史而非仅仅由气候驱动的。广泛存在的病原体感染的流行引发了对其对黑斑蝉影响的担忧。考虑到与蝉科相关且公开可用的基因组资源稀缺，该黑斑蝉的基因组草图和群体数据有望成为利用蝉基因组进行各种研究的宝贵资源。
