title: The Genome of Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata) Provides a Genomic Perspective on Sexual Dimorphism and Phenology.
abstract: The winter moth (Operophtera brumata) belongs to one of the most species-rich families in Lepidoptera, the Geometridae (approximately 23,000 species). This family is of great economic importance as most species are herbivorous and capable of defoliating trees. Genome assembly of the winter moth allows the study of genes and gene families, such as the cytochrome P450 gene family, which is known to be vital in plant secondary metabolite detoxification and host-plant selection. It also enables exploration of the genomic basis for female brachyptery (wing reduction), a feature of sexual dimorphism in winter moth, and for seasonal timing, a trait extensively studied in this species. Here we present a reference genome for the winter moth, the first geometrid and largest sequenced Lepidopteran genome to date (638 Mb) including a set of 16,912 predicted protein-coding genes. This allowed us to assess the dynamics of evolution on a genome-wide scale using the P450 gene family. We also identified an expanded gene family potentially linked to female brachyptery, and annotated the genes involved in the circadian clock mechanism as main candidates for involvement in seasonal timing. The genome will contribute to Lepidopteran genomic resources and comparative genomics. In addition, the genome enhances our ability to understand the genetic and molecular basis of insect seasonal timing and thereby provides a reference for future evolutionary and population studies on the winter moth.
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martijn F L
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Derks
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands sandra.smit@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands Research Unit Chronobiology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salis
authors.affiliation: PRI Bioscience, Plant Research International, Wageningen UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schijlen
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Biology, Central Veterinary Institute, Wageningen UR, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bossers
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mateman
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Agata S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Pijl
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Ridder
authors.affiliation: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martien A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Groenen
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marcel E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hendrik-Jan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Megens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057906:Circadian Clocks / Q000235:genetics; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D049750:Genome, Insect; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*; D012621:Seasons; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
keywords: Lepidoptera; circadian clock; cytochrome P450; phenology; sexual dimorphism; winter moth