Aphids and Ants, Mutualistic Species, Share a Mariner Element with an Unusual Location on Aphid Chromosomes

Aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae) are small phytophagous insects. The aim of this study was to determine if the elements found in the ant genomes are also present in and genomes and the possible existence of horizontal transfer events. Aphids maintain a relationship of mutualism with the ants. The close...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Genes 2021-12, Vol.12 (12), p.1966
Main Authors: Vela, Jesús, Montiel, Eugenia E, Mora, Pablo, Lorite, Pedro, Palomeque, Teresa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Ants - genetics
Ants - growth & development
Aphids - genetics
Aphids - growth & development
Chromosomes, Insect - genetics
Cytogenetics
DNA Transposable Elements
Evolution
Females
Genome, Insect
Genomes
Horizontal transfer
Hybridization
Insects
Life cycles
Males
Molecular modelling
Mutualism
Phylogeny
Sex determination
Species
Symbiosis
Telomeres
Transposons
X chromosomes
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Summary:Aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae) are small phytophagous insects. The aim of this study was to determine if the elements found in the ant genomes are also present in and genomes and the possible existence of horizontal transfer events. Aphids maintain a relationship of mutualism with the ants. The close contact between these insects could favour horizontal transfer events of transposable elements. element isolated from and ants have also been found in the two species: and ( and elements). Besides, could be an active transposon. -like elements are also present in other insect species as well as in one Crustacean species. The phylogenetic study carried out with all -like elements suggests the existence of horizontal transfer. Most aphids have 2n = 8 with a XX-X0 sex determination system. Their complicated life cycle is mostly parthenogenetic with sexual individuals only in autumn. The production of X0 males, originated by XX females which produce only spermatozoa with one X chromosome, must necessarily occur through specialized cytogenetic and molecular mechanisms which are not entirely known. In both aphid species, the elements are located on all chromosomes, including the X chromosomes. However, on the two X chromosomes, no positive signals are detected in their small DAPI-negative telomere regions. The rDNA sites are located, as in the majority of Aphids species, on one of the telomere regions of each X chromosome. The hybridization patterns obtained by double FISH demonstrate that and elements do not hybridize at the rDNA sites of their host species. Possible causes for the absence of these transposons in the rDNA genes are discussed, probably related with the X chromosome biology.
ISSN:2073-4425
2073-4425
DOI:10.3390/genes12121966