title: The genome of Mesobuthus martensii reveals a unique adaptation model of arthropods.
abstract: Representing a basal branch of arachnids, scorpions are known as 'living fossils' that maintain an ancient anatomy and are adapted to have survived extreme climate changes. Here we report the genome sequence of Mesobuthus martensii, containing 32,016 protein-coding genes, the most among sequenced arthropods. Although M. martensii appears to evolve conservatively, it has a greater gene family turnover than the insects that have undergone diverse morphological and physiological changes, suggesting the decoupling of the molecular and morphological evolution in scorpions. Underlying the long-term adaptation of scorpions is the expansion of the gene families enriched in basic metabolic pathways, signalling pathways, neurotoxins and cytochrome P450, and the different dynamics of expansion between the shared and the scorpion lineage-specific gene families. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses further illustrate the important genetic features associated with prey, nocturnal behaviour, feeding and detoxification. The M. martensii genome reveals a unique adaptation model of arthropods, offering new insights into the genetic bases of the living fossils.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Zhijian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yingliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Yawen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zongyun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Weishan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Xiaohua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bohu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Wenjuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhongjie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yimeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dahe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Binyan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Youtian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Bifeng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yuqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Guoping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yixue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wenxin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003374:Coumarins / Q000378:metabolism; D023082:Defensins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D005453:Fluorescence; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016678:Genome; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012605:Scorpions / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D003374:Coumarins; D023082:Defensins; D009498:Neurotoxins; C030123:coumarin