title: Deep sequencing revealed molecular signature of horizontal gene transfer of plant like transcripts in the mosquito Anopheles culicifacies: an evolutionary puzzle.
abstract: In prokaryotes, horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has been regarded as an important evolutionary drive to acquire and retain beneficial genes for their survival in diverse ecologies. However, in eukaryotes, the functional role of HGTs remains questionable, although current genomic tools are providing increased evidence of acquisition of novel traits within non-mating metazoan species. Here, we provide another transcriptomic evidence for the acquisition of massive plant genes in the mosquito, Anopheles culicifacies. Our multiple experimental validations including genomic PCR, RT-PCR, real-time PCR, immuno-blotting and immuno-florescence microscopy, confirmed that plant like transcripts (PLTs) are of mosquito origin and may encode functional proteins. A comprehensive molecular analysis of the PLTs and ongoing metagenomic analysis of salivary microbiome provide initial clues that mosquitoes may have survival benefits through the acquisition of nuclear as well as chloroplast encoded plant genes. Our findings of PLTs further support the similar questionable observation of HGTs in other higher organisms, which is still a controversial and debatable issue in the community of evolutionists. We believe future understanding of the underlying mechanism of the feeding associated molecular responses may shed new insights in the functional role of PLTs in the mosquito.
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India; Nano and Biotechnology Department, Guru Jambheshwar University, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Punita
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Tanwee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Das De
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: NxGenBio Lifesciences, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ashwani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar Mishra
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Suman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lata
authors.affiliation: Nano and Biotechnology Department, Guru Jambheshwar University, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Namita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Neena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valecha
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Kailash
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chand Pandey
authors.affiliation: Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Rajnikant
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dixit
keywords: Mosquito; Plant like transcripts; Salivary gland; feeding; malaria; microbial flora