Data from: Comparative analysis of genome sequences from four strains of the Buchnera aphidicola Mp endosymbiont of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae

Myzus persicae, the green peach aphid, is a polyphagous herbivore that feeds on hundreds of species of mostly dicot crop plants. Like other phloem-feeding aphids, M. persicae rely on the endosymbiotic bacterium, Buchnera aphidicola (Buchnera Mp), for biosynthesis of essential amino acids and other nutrients that are not sufficiently abundant in their phloem sap diet. Tobacco-specialized M. persicae are typically red and somewhat distinct from other lineages of this species. To determine whether the endosymbiotic bacteria of M. persicae could play a role in tobacco adaptation, we sequenced the Buchnera Mp genomes from two tobacco-adapted and two non-tobacco M. persicae lineages.

With a genome size of 643.5 kb and 579 predicted genes, Buchnera Mp is the largest Buchnera genome sequenced to date. No differences in gene content were found between the four sequenced Buchnera Mp strains. Compared to Buchnera APS from the well-studied pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, Buchnera Mp has 21 additional genes. These include genes encoding five enzymes required for biosynthesis of the modified nucleoside queosine, the heme pathway enzyme uroporphyrinogen III synthase, and asparaginase. Asparaginase, which is also encoded by the genome of the aphid host, may allow Buchnera Mp to synthesize essential amino acids from asparagine, a relatively abundant phloem amino acid.

After validation, a final genome sequence was constructed for each Buchnera Mp chromosome and plasmid. These sequences have been deposited in Genbank. Supplemental tables provide data on (S1) Collection information and microsatellite genotype of Myzus persicae lineages hosting the four sequenced Buchnera Mp strains; (S2) Twenty-one Buchnera Mp coding sequences whose counterparts are absent in Buchnera APS; (S3) Thirteen nonsynonymous mutations in the Buchnera Mp genomes of lineages W106, F009 and G002 that are predicted to be deleterious.

Together results indicate that the obligate intracellular symbiont Buchnera aphidicola does not contribute to the adaptation of Myzus persicae to feeding on tobacco.

• Resource Title: Comparative analysis of genome sequences from four strains of the Buchnera aphidicola Mp endosymbion of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae.

  File Name: Web Page, url: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-14-917

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