Interspecific Hybridization and Complete Mitochondrial Genome Analysis of Two Ghost Moth Species

Hua Wu; Li Cao; Meiyu He; Richou Han; Patrick De Clercq

doi:10.3390/insects12111046

Insects (Nov 2021)

Interspecific Hybridization and Complete Mitochondrial Genome Analysis of Two Ghost Moth Species

Hua Wu,
Li Cao,
Meiyu He,
Richou Han,
Patrick De Clercq

Affiliations

Hua Wu: Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Li Cao: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510260, China
Meiyu He: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510260, China
Richou Han: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510260, China
Patrick De Clercq: Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12111046
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 11
p. 1046

Abstract

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The Chinese cordyceps, a parasitic Ophiocordyceps sinensis fungus–Thitarodes/Hepialus larva complex, is a valuable biological resource endemic to the Tibetan Plateau. Protection of the Plateau environment and huge market demand make it necessary to culture this complex in an artificial system. A method for the large-scale artificial rearing of the Thitarodes/Hepialus insect host has been established. However, the deterioration of the insect rearing population and low mummification of the infected larvae by the fungus constrain effective commercial cultivation. Hybridization of Thitarodes/Hepialus populations may be needed to overcome this problem. The species T. shambalaensis (GG♂ × GG♀) and an undescribed Thitarodes species (SD♂ × SD♀) were inbred or hybridized to evaluate the biological parameters, larval sensitivity to the fungal infection and mitochondrial genomes of the resulting populations. The two parental Thitarodes species exhibited significant differences in adult fresh weights and body lengths but not in pupal emergence rates. Hybridization of T. shambalaensis and Thitarodes sp. allowed producing a new generation. The SD♂ × GG♀ population showed a higher population trend index than the SD♂ × SD♀ population, implying increased population growth compared with the male parent. The sensitivity of the inbred larval populations to four fungal isolates of O. sinensis also differed. This provides possibilities to create Thitarodes/Hepialus populations with increased growth potential for the improved artificial production of the insect hosts. The mitochondrial genomes of GG♂ × GG♀, SD♂ × SD♀ and SD♂ × GG♀ were 15,612 bp, 15,389 bp and 15,496 bp in length, with an A + T content of 80.92%, 82.35% and 80.87%, respectively. The A + T-rich region contains 787 bp with two 114 bp repetitive sequences, 554 bp without repetitive sequences and 673 bp without repetitive sequences in GG♂ × GG♀, SD♂ × SD♀ and SD♂ × GG♀, respectively. The hybrid population (SD♂ × GG♀) was located in the same clade with GG♂ × GG♀, based on the phylogenetic tree constructed by 13 PCGs, implying the maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA.

Published in Insects

ISSN: 2075-4450 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/insects/

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