De Novo Genome Assembly, Genomic Features, and Comparative Analysis of the Sawfly Dentathalia scutellariae

TL;DR

This paper presents the first high-quality genome of the pest Dentathalia scutellariae, offering insights into its biology and potential control strategies.

Contribution

The study provides the first complete genome assembly of D. scutellariae using advanced sequencing technologies.

Findings

The genome is 157.00 Mb with a contig N50 of 4.04 Mb and 98.8% BUSCO completeness.

Expanded gene families are enriched in retinol and drug metabolism pathways.

The genome contains 14,904 predicted protein-coding genes, with 12,327 functionally annotated.

Abstract

In recent years, Dentathalia scutellariae has inflicted significant damage on the medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis, yet genomic resources for this species have been limited to its mitochondrial genome. To address this, we present a high-quality genome assembly using PacBio HiFi long-read and MGI-Seq short-read sequencing. The assembled genome spans 157.00 Mb with a contig N50 of 4.04 Mb, a BUSCO completeness score of 98.8%, 9.38% repetitive sequences, and 14,904 predicted protein-coding genes. Comparative genomic and gene family analyses revealed significant expansions and contractions, with expansions notably enriched in retinol metabolism and drug metabolism–cytochrome P450 pathways. This genome provides a valuable genetic foundation for understanding the biology of D. scutellariae and serves as a critical resource for developing targeted pest control strategies to mitigate its impact on S. baicalensis cultivation.

Dentathalia scutellariae (Hymenoptera: Athaliidae) is a major pest of Scutellaria baicalensis, a plant of significant economic and medicinal value. To date, no genomic resources have been available for this species, limiting research into its biology and control. Here, we reported a genome assembly of D. scutellariae with high accuracy and contiguity, sequenced by PacBio HiFi long-read and MGI-Seq short-read methods. The genome assembly is 157.00 Mb in length with a contig N50 of 4.04 Mb. The complete BUSCO score was 98.8%. The genome contained 14.73 Mb of repetitive elements, representing 9.38% of the total genome size. We predicted 14,904 protein-coding genes, of which 12,327 genes were annotated functionally. Gene family analysis of D. scutellariae revealed 422 expanded and 113 contracted gene families. Notably, genes within expanded families were significantly enriched in retinol metabolism and drug metabolism–cytochrome P450 pathways. We present the first high-quality genome assembly of D. scutellariae, which serves as a foundational genomic resource. This dataset will facilitate future studies on the molecular basis of D. scutellariae’s pest status, host adaptation, and the development of targeted control strategies.

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