Penicillium herquei Raw sequence reads
Comparative transcriptome analysis between weevil-farming strain (WFS) and soil free-living strain (SFS) of Penicillium herquei provides critical insights into adaptive evolution and ecological specialization. Our study revealed that cytochrome P450 genes, implicated in iron/heme binding, were significantly up-regulated in WFS. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) validation confirmed elevated expression of these genes alongside enhanced iron absorption capacity. Notably, iron quantification demonstrated that WFS accumulates 1.7-fold higher iron content than SFS and 2.2-fold more than Reynoutria japonica leaves. These findings suggest that P. herquei adapts to mutualism by optimizing iron acquisition, potentially sustaining an iron-replete environment in the insect gut and reinforcing symbiotic nutritional dynamics.