Red sunflower seed weevil (RSSW) is a major insect pest of cultivated and wild common sunflowers in the Great Plains of North America. The... Show moreRed sunflower seed weevil (RSSW) is a major insect pest of cultivated and wild common sunflowers in the Great Plains of North America. The extent of the sunflower damage due to RSSW infestation is too great for the natural sunflower defense mechanisms to protect the agriculture industry from losses. Pyrethroids are the only type of insecticide designated for the control of RSSW; however, instances of pyrethroid insecticide ineffectiveness against RSSW have been annually reported to entomologists at South Dakota State University since 2017. The biological bases of insecticide resistance are unknown but common mechanisms associated with pyrethroid resistance include general detoxification mechanism driven by cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) as well as mutations in the pyrethroid target, voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs). The goal of this study was to determine if the computational analysis of a low-coverage genome assembly is sufficient to identify and characterize genes associated with insecticide resistance which could contribute to pest control research efforts. By using a low-coverage genome assembly, RNA-Seq data, and bioinformatic tools, 40 complete and 33 partial gene models coding for CYP450 as well as a partial gene model coding for VGSC have been identified in the genome of RSSW. Twenty-seven mutation sites, previously associated with the pyrethroid resistance in other insects, have been identified in the VGSC gene of RSSW. The low-coverage genome proved to be a sufficient resource for preliminary studies of gene identification which could bring significant knowledge to subsequent research focusing on insecticide resistance and pest control. Show less
