Fungus-farming mutualisms are models for studying co-evolutionary among species. Compared to well-documented fungus-farming in social insects, the molecular aspects of fungus-farming mutualisms in nonsocial insects have been poorly explored. Euops chinensis is a solitary leaf-rolling weevil feeding on Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica). This pest has evolved a special proto-farming bipartite mutualism with the fungus Penicillium herquei, which provide nutrition and defensive protection for the E. chinensis larvae. Here, the genome of P. herquei was sequenced, and the structure and specific gene categories in the P. herquei genome were then comprehensively compared with the other two well-studied Penicillium species (P. decumbens and P. chrysogenum). The assembled P. herquei genome had a 40.25 Mb genome size with 46.7% GC content. A diverse set of genes associating with carbohydrate-active enzymes, cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, transporter, and terpenoid biosynthesis were detected in the P. herquei genome. Comparative genomics demonstrate that the three Penicillium species show similar metabolic and enzymatic potential, however, P. herquei has more genes associated with plant biomass degradation and defense but less genes associating with virulence pathogenicity. Our results provide molecular evidence for plant substrate breakdown and protective roles of P. herquei in E. chinensis mutualistic system. Large metabolic potential shared by Penicillium species at the genus level may explain why some Penicillium species are recruited by the Euops weevils as crop fungi.

中文翻译：

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非社会象鼻虫 Euops chinensis 真菌品种的基因组分析和基因组比较揭示了其在真菌养殖共生中的植物分解和保护作用

真菌养殖互利共生是研究物种间共同进化的模型。与有据可查的社会性昆虫真菌养殖相比，非社会性昆虫中真菌养殖互惠的分子方面研究很少。大戟是一种独居的卷叶象鼻虫，以日本虎杖为食（大枣). 这种害虫与真菌进化出一种特殊的原始农业二分互惠关系青霉, 为动物提供营养和防御保护中华桉幼虫。在这里，基因组P. herquei被测序，并且结构和特定基因类别在P. herquei然后将基因组与其他两个经过充分研究的基因组进行全面比较青霉属物种 （P. decumbens和产黄青霉). 组装好的P. herquei基因组的基因组大小为 40.25 Mb，GC 含量为 46.7%。一组不同的基因与碳水化合物活性酶、纤维素和半纤维素降解、转运蛋白和萜类化合物生物合成有关P. herquei基因组。比较基因组学表明这三个青霉属物种表现出相似的代谢和酶促潜力，然而，P. herquei与植物生物量降解和防御相关的基因较多，但与毒力致病性相关的基因较少。我们的结果为植物基质分解和保护作用提供了分子证据P. herquei在中华桉共生系统。巨大的代谢潜力共享青霉属属水平的物种可以解释为什么有些青霉属物种被招募欧普斯象鼻虫作为农作物真菌。