A high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly provides insights into
wing dimorphism in Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker)
Abstract
The rose-grain aphid Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera:
Aphididae) is one of the most important aphid pests for cereals
worldwide. Some studies have examined the biological and ecological
characteristics of M. dirhodum. However, the lack of genomic data
limits in-depth studies of this organism. Here, we present a
chromosome-level genome assembly of M. dirhodum using PacBio long
HiFi reads and Hi-C technology. The final genome assembly is 447.8 Mb,
with 98.50% of the assembled sequences anchored to nine chromosomes.
The contig and scaffold N50 values are 7.82 Mb and 37.54 Mb,
respectively. A total of 18,003 protein-coding genes were predicted, of
which 92.05% were functionally annotated. Comparative transcriptomic
analyses identified a number of genes that might be related to wing
dimorphism, including the insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate,
forkhead box protein O (Foxo), and ecdysone receptor. These results may
provide an important reference for understanding the ecology, genetics,
and evolution of this organism or even other aphid insects.