3.3 Candidate gene analysis
Due to the conservative filtering strategy (SCO set, length
>300 and missing values <10%), only 72 out of
166 candidate immune genes present in the G. calmariensis genome
remained in our MK analysis, corresponding to 14 recognition genes, 22
signalling genes, 5 effectors, 18 protease coding genes, 26
haematopoiesis genes, 15 melanisation genes and 5 wound healing genes
(Table S1). Eight of these immune genes were identified to be under
positive selection in G. pusilla , including important genes
involved in parasitoid recognition (santa-maria andCorin ), Toll and JNK pathways (grass and Tak1 ), a
protease with serine-type carboxypeptidase activity and genes involved
in lamellocyte differentiation (Raf , cher and zfh1 )
(Table 2). In contrast, only one candidate immune gene (Cyp9f2 )
was positively selected in G. calmariensis . In G. tenella ,
four immune genes were found to be under positive selection; two
recognition genes (Corin and PGRP-LE ) and two genes with
important roles in haematopoiesis through regulation of lamellocyte
differentiation (cher and Cyt-b5 ) (Table 2).