Analyses identify complex patterns of heterozygosity, the expansion of gene families associated with perception and the detoxification of plant defense compounds and the recent expansion of retrotransposons near detoxification genes.
We report the first whole-genome sequence of a basal lepidopteran species, Plutella xylostella, which contains 18,071 protein-coding and 1,412 unique genes with an expansion of gene families associated with perception and the detoxification of plant defense compounds.
However, it is not clear what their role may be in the detoxification of plant allelochemicals [37].
Future research has to show the number and kind of enzymes that are involved, in addition to PNO, in the detoxification of plant-derived toxins in polyphagous Arctiids.
Cytochrome P450s are known to play a role in the detoxification of plant chemicals in Ms larvae [96] and generalist Helicoverpa species, in which they are elicited by the ingestion of host plant signal molecules, JA and SA [97].
Many P450s are important phase I detoxification enzymes with a crucial role in detoxification of plant secondary metabolites and in metabolizing insecticides/acaricides to less toxic compounds.
Several studies have for example revealed the important role of the cytochrome P450 enzyme family for detoxification of plant secondary compounds as well as insecticides.
P450 enzymes, of which large families are present in insect genomes, are involved in detoxification of plant toxins and play a central role in insecticide resistance (Feyereisen 1999).
Moreover, some of these bacteria with specific enzymatic degrading activities are thought to play important roles in the detoxification of plant compounds, production of metabolites against pathogens, and plant-insect interactions [ 46, 48].
Genome features, such as large expansion of gene families associated with digestion and detoxification of plant secondary compounds are consistent with the spider mite's wide host feeding range [ 1].
