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Firefly genomes illuminate the origin and evolution of bioluminescence

View ORCID ProfileTimothy R Fallon, Sarah E Lower, Ching-Ho Chang, View ORCID ProfileManabu Bessho-Uehara, Gavin J Martin, Adam J Bewick, View ORCID ProfileMegan Behringer, View ORCID ProfileHumberto J Debat, Isaac Wong, John C Day, Anton Suvorov, Christian J Silva, David W Hall, View ORCID ProfileRobert J. Schmitz, David R Nelson, Sara Lewis, View ORCID ProfileShuji Shigenobu, View ORCID ProfileSeth M Bybee, Amanda M Larracuente, View ORCID ProfileYuichi Oba, View ORCID ProfileJing-Ke Weng
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/237586
Timothy R Fallon
Massachusetts Institute of Technology;
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Sarah E Lower
Cornell University;
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Ching-Ho Chang
University of Rochester;
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Manabu Bessho-Uehara
Nagoya University;
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Gavin J Martin
Brigham Young University;
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Adam J Bewick
University of Georgia;
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Megan Behringer
Arizona State University;
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Humberto J Debat
IPAVE-CIAP-INTA;
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Isaac Wong
University of Rochester;
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John C Day
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) Wallingford;
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Anton Suvorov
Brigham Young University;
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Christian J Silva
University of California Davis;
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David W Hall
University of Georgia;
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Robert J. Schmitz
University of Georgia;
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David R Nelson
University of Tennessee HSC;
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Sara Lewis
Tufts University;
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Shuji Shigenobu
National Institute for Basic Biology;
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Seth M Bybee
Brigham Young University;
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Amanda M Larracuente
University of Rochester;
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Yuichi Oba
Chubu University;
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Jing-Ke Weng
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
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  • For correspondence: wengj@wi.mit.edu
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Abstract

Fireflies are among the best-studied of the bioluminescent organisms. Despite long-term interest in the biochemistry, neurobiology, and evolution of firefly flash signals and the widespread biotechnological applications of firefly luciferase, only a limited set of genes related to this complex trait have been described. To investigate the genetic basis of firefly bioluminescence, we generated a high-quality reference genome for the Big Dipper firefly Photinus pyralis, from which the first laboratory luciferase was cloned, using long-read (PacBio), short-read (Illumina), and Hi-C sequencing technologies. To facilitate comparative genomics, we also generated short-read genome assemblies for a Japanese firefly Aquatica lateralis and a bioluminescent click beetle, Ignelater luminosus. Analyses of these genomic datasets supports at least two independent gains of luminescence in beetles, and provides new insights into the evolution of beetle bioluminescence and chemical defenses that likely co-evolved over their 100 million years of evolution.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
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Posted December 21, 2017.
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Firefly genomes illuminate the origin and evolution of bioluminescence
Timothy R Fallon, Sarah E Lower, Ching-Ho Chang, Manabu Bessho-Uehara, Gavin J Martin, Adam J Bewick, Megan Behringer, Humberto J Debat, Isaac Wong, John C Day, Anton Suvorov, Christian J Silva, David W Hall, Robert J. Schmitz, David R Nelson, Sara Lewis, Shuji Shigenobu, Seth M Bybee, Amanda M Larracuente, Yuichi Oba, Jing-Ke Weng
bioRxiv 237586; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/237586
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Firefly genomes illuminate the origin and evolution of bioluminescence
Timothy R Fallon, Sarah E Lower, Ching-Ho Chang, Manabu Bessho-Uehara, Gavin J Martin, Adam J Bewick, Megan Behringer, Humberto J Debat, Isaac Wong, John C Day, Anton Suvorov, Christian J Silva, David W Hall, Robert J. Schmitz, David R Nelson, Sara Lewis, Shuji Shigenobu, Seth M Bybee, Amanda M Larracuente, Yuichi Oba, Jing-Ke Weng
bioRxiv 237586; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/237586

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