Insect neuropeptides play a major role in the regulation of the physiological processes. Due to their versatile effects on the development of insects, their corresponding receptors, which are mostly G-protein coupled receptors, are considered as ideal targets for designing next-generation pesticides. In this study, we aimed to find neuropeptide receptors of pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa), a pest in the Mediterranean countries, that feeds on the needles of pine trees. To this aim, Whole Genome Shotgun sequencing technique was used. de novo assembly of the genome was performed using two different assemblers, SGA and MaSuRCA. The results of two assemblers were compared, and MaSuRCA assembler showed higher N50 length. To find some target GPCRs, sequences of Drosophila melanogaster and evolutionarily close species were used as blast queries in the assembled data. Five GPCRs were chosen from the genome and their expression was confirmed in the larval stage of the insect.

昆虫神经肽在生理过程的调节中起主要作用。由于它们对昆虫发育的多种作用，它们的相应受体，主要是 G 蛋白偶联受体，被认为是设计下一代农药的理想目标。在这项研究中，我们的目的是寻找松蛾（Thaumetopoea pityocampa）的神经肽受体，这是一种地中海国家的害虫，以松树的针叶为食。为此，使用了全基因组 Shotgun 测序技术。基因组的从头组装是使用两种不同的组装程序，SGA 和 MaSuRCA 进行的。比较了两种组装器的结果，MaSuRCA 组装器显示出更高的 N50 长度。寻找一些目标 GPCR，黑腹果蝇的序列并且进化上接近的物种被用作组装数据中的爆炸查询。从基因组中选择了 5 个 GPCR，并在昆虫的幼虫阶段证实了它们的表达。