title: Multifaceted biological insights from a draft genome sequence of the tobacco hornworm moth, Manduca sexta.
abstract: Manduca sexta, known as the tobacco hornworm or Carolina sphinx moth, is a lepidopteran insect that is used extensively as a model system for research in insect biochemistry, physiology, neurobiology, development, and immunity. One important benefit of this species as an experimental model is its extremely large size, reaching more than 10 g in the larval stage. M. sexta larvae feed on solanaceous plants and thus must tolerate a substantial challenge from plant allelochemicals, including nicotine. We report the sequence and annotation of the M. sexta genome, and a survey of gene expression in various tissues and developmental stages. The Msex_1.0 genome assembly resulted in a total genome size of 419.4 Mbp. Repetitive sequences accounted for 25.8% of the assembled genome. The official gene set is comprised of 15,451 protein-coding genes, of which 2498 were manually curated. Extensive RNA-seq data from many tissues and developmental stages were used to improve gene models and for insights into gene expression patterns. Genome wide synteny analysis indicated a high level of macrosynteny in the Lepidoptera. Annotation and analyses were carried out for gene families involved in a wide spectrum of biological processes, including apoptosis, vacuole sorting, growth and development, structures of exoskeleton, egg shells, and muscle, vision, chemosensation, ion channels, signal transduction, neuropeptide signaling, neurotransmitter synthesis and transport, nicotine tolerance, lipid metabolism, and immunity. This genome sequence, annotation, and analysis provide an important new resource from a well-studied model insect species and will facilitate further biochemical and mechanistic experimental studies of many biological systems in insects.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA. Electronic address: Kanost@ksu.edu.
authors: Michael R
authors: MR
authors: Kanost
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Estela L
authors: EL
authors: Arrese
authors: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Xiaolong
authors: X
authors: Cao
authors: Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University, Tower Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors: Yun-Ru
authors: YR
authors: Chen
authors: KSU Bioinformatics Center, Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Sanjay
authors: S
authors: Chellapilla
authors: Biological Sciences Department, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
authors: Marian R
authors: MR
authors: Goldsmith
authors: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse, 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Ewald
authors: E
authors: Grosse-Wilde
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: David G
authors: DG
authors: Heckel
authors: KSU Bioinformatics Center, Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Nicolae
authors: N
authors: Herndon
authors: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Haobo
authors: H
authors: Jiang
authors: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia.
authors: Alexie
authors: A
authors: Papanicolaou
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Jiaxin
authors: J
authors: Qu
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Jose L
authors: JL
authors: Soulages
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Heiko
authors: H
authors: Vogel
authors: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Walters
authors: Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland; Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 32 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA; The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 415 Main Street, MA, 02142, USA.
authors: Robert M
authors: RM
authors: Waterhouse
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Seung-Joon
authors: SJ
authors: Ahn
authors: Departament de Genètica and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Francisca C
authors: FC
authors: Almeida
authors: Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors: Chunju
authors: C
authors: An
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Peshtewani
authors: P
authors: Aqrawi
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Bretschneider
authors: Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: William B
authors: WB
authors: Bryant
authors: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse, 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Sascha
authors: S
authors: Bucks
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Hsu
authors: H
authors: Chao
authors: Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François-Rabelais, Tours, France.
authors: Germain
authors: G
authors: Chevignon
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Jayne M
authors: JM
authors: Christen
authors: CSIRO Land and Water, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors: David F
authors: DF
authors: Clarke
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Neal T
authors: NT
authors: Dittmer
authors: Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
authors: Laura C F
authors: LCF
authors: Ferguson
authors: Centre of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors: Spyridoula
authors: S
authors: Garavelou
authors: CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors: Karl H J
authors: KHJ
authors: Gordon
authors: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Ramesh T
authors: RT
authors: Gunaratna
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Han
authors: Center for Functional and Comparative Insect Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-21oo, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Hauser
authors: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: He
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Hanna
authors: H
authors: Heidel-Fischer
authors: Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, 3009 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
authors: Ariana
authors: A
authors: Hirsh
authors: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Yingxia
authors: Y
authors: Hu
authors: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors: Hongbo
authors: H
authors: Jiang
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Divya
authors: D
authors: Kalra
authors: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse, 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Klinner
authors: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse, 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: König
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Christie
authors: C
authors: Kovar
authors: Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, OR, 97202, USA.
authors: Ashley R
authors: AR
authors: Kroll
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Suyog S
authors: SS
authors: Kuwar
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Sandy L
authors: SL
authors: Lee
authors: Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Bioresources Project Group, Winchesterstrasse 2, 35394, Gießen, Germany.
authors: Rüdiger
authors: R
authors: Lehman
authors: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Li
authors: College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
authors: Zhaofei
authors: Z
authors: Li
authors: McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
authors: Hanquan
authors: H
authors: Liang
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME, 04104, USA.
authors: Shanna
authors: S
authors: Lovelace
authors: College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
authors: Zhiqiang
authors: Z
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, 3009 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
authors: Jennifer H
authors: JH
authors: Mansfield
authors: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
authors: Kyle J
authors: KJ
authors: McCulloch
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Tittu
authors: T
authors: Mathew
authors: Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, 3009 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Morton
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Donna M
authors: DM
authors: Muzny
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Neunemann
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Fiona
authors: F
authors: Ongeri
authors: Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Yannick
authors: Y
authors: Pauchet
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Ling-Ling
authors: LL
authors: Pu
authors: Centre of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Pyrousis
authors: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors: Xiang-Jun
authors: XJ
authors: Rao
authors: Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Redding
authors: Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Roesel
authors: Departament de Genètica and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Sanchez-Gracia
authors: Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, OR, 97202, USA.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Schaack
authors: Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, 3009 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
authors: Aditi
authors: A
authors: Shukla
authors: Department of Entomology, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA.
authors: Guillaume
authors: G
authors: Tetreau
authors: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Guang-Hua
authors: GH
authors: Xiong
authors: Institut fuer Biologie, Universitaet Luebeck, D-23538, Luebeck, Germany.
authors: Walther
authors: W
authors: Traut
authors: CSIRO Land and Water, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors: Tom K
authors: TK
authors: Walsh
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Kim C
authors: KC
authors: Worley
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Di
authors: D
authors: Wu
authors: Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Wenbi
authors: W
authors: Wu
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Yuan-Qing
authors: YQ
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
authors: Xiufeng
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Zou
authors: Neuroscience Program, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY, 13323, USA.
authors: Hannah
authors: H
authors: Zucker
authors: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
authors: Adriana D
authors: AD
authors: Briscoe
authors: Institute of Zoology, University of Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Thorsten
authors: T
authors: Burmester
authors: Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Rollie J
authors: RJ
authors: Clem
authors: Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: René
authors: R
authors: Feyereisen
authors: Center for Functional and Comparative Insect Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-21oo, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Cornelis J P
authors: CJP
authors: Grimmelikhuijzen
authors: Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors: Stavros J
authors: SJ
authors: Hamodrakas
authors: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Hans-Knoell-Strasse, 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
authors: Bill S
authors: BS
authors: Hansson
authors: Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François-Rabelais, Tours, France.
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Huguet
authors: CSIRO Land and Water, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors: Lars S
authors: LS
authors: Jermiin
authors: Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.
authors: Que
authors: Q
authors: Lan
authors: Biology Department and Neuroscience Program, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY, 13323, USA.
authors: Herman K
authors: HK
authors: Lehman
authors: Dept. Entomology, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
authors: Marce
authors: M
authors: Lorenzen
authors: University of Siegen, School of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Institute of Biology - Molecular Biology, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse. 2, AR-C3010, 57076 Siegen, Germany.
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Merzendorfer
authors: Centre of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Michalopoulos
authors: Department of Integrative Biosciences, School of Dentistry, BRB421, L595, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
authors: David B
authors: DB
authors: Morton
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Subbaratnam
authors: S
authors: Muthukrishnan
authors: CSIRO Land and Water, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors: John G
authors: JG
authors: Oakeshott
authors: Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK.
authors: Will
authors: W
authors: Palmer
authors: Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Yoonseong
authors: Y
authors: Park
authors: Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: A Lorena
authors: AL
authors: Passarelli
authors: Departament de Genètica and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Julio
authors: J
authors: Rozas
authors: Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
authors: Lawrence M
authors: LM
authors: Schwartz
authors: Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Smith
authors: Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, 29424, USA.
authors: Agnes
authors: A
authors: Southgate
authors: Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Vilcinskas
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29205, USA.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Vogt
authors: Department of Entomology, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA.
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Werren
authors: University of Missouri-Kansas City, 5007 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO, 64110, USA.
authors: Xiao-Qiang
authors: XQ
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Biological Chemistry and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2JQ, UK.
authors: Jing-Jiang
authors: JJ
authors: Zhou
authors: KSU Bioinformatics Center, Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
authors: Susan J
authors: SJ
authors: Brown
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Steven E
authors: SE
authors: Scherer
authors: Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Richards
authors: Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University, Tower Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors: Gary W
authors: GW
authors: Blissard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D049750:Genome, Insect; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D018402:Manduca / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D011679:Pupa / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D026801:Synteny
keywords: Innate immunity; Insect; Insect biochemistry; Lepidoptera; Moth; Synteny; Tobacco hornworm