A nuclear receptor HR96-related gene underlies large trans-driven differences in detoxification gene expression in a generalist herbivore
Meiyuan Ji, Marilou Vandenhole, Berdien De Beer, Sander De Rouck, Ernesto Villacis‐Perez, René Feyereisen, Richard M. Clark, Thomas Van Leeuwen
Abstract
The role, magnitude, and molecular nature of trans-driven expression variation underlying the upregulation of detoxification genes in pesticide resistant arthropod populations has remained enigmatic. In this study, we performed expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping (n = 458) between a pesticide resistant and a susceptible strain of the generalist herbivore and crop pest Tetranychus urticae. We found that a single trans eQTL hotspot controlled large differences in the expression of a subset of genes in different detoxification gene families, as well as other genes associated with host plant use. As established by additional genetic approaches including RNAi gene knockdown, a duplicated gene with a nuclear hormone receptor HR96-related ligand-binding domain was identified as causal for the expression differences between strains. The presence of a large family of HR96-related genes in T. urticae may enable modular control of detoxification and host plant use genes, facilitating this species' known and rapid evolution to diverse pesticides and host plants.