RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Manual curation and phylogenetic analysis of chitinase family genes in the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2021.10.30.466601 DO 10.1101/2021.10.30.466601 A1 Teresa D. Shippy A1 Sherry Miller A1 Blessy Tamayo A1 Prashant S Hosmani A1 Mirella Flores-Gonzalez A1 Lukas A Mueller A1 Wayne B Hunter A1 Susan J Brown A1 Tom D’Elia A1 Surya Saha YR 2021 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/11/02/2021.10.30.466601.abstract AB Chitinases are enzymes that digest the polysaccharide polymer chitin. Chitin is a major component of insect exoskeletons, which must be replaced multiple times during growth and development in a process known as molting. Insect genomes usually have multiple chitinase genes, some of which are required for molting and some whose functions are still unknown. Since knockdown of the chitinases required for molting causes high levels of lethality, chitinase genes have drawn interest as targets for RNAi-based pest control methods. The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, carries the bacterium that causes Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease, which is devastating the citrus industry worldwide. We have identified and annotated 12 chitinase family genes from D. citri as part of a community effort to create high quality gene models to facilitate the design of interdictory molecules for pest control. Using predicted protein domain content and phylogenetic analysis, we categorized the D. citri chitinases according to a previously established classification scheme and re-evaluated the classification of chitinases in other hemipterans. In addition to chitinases belonging to known groups, we identified a novel class of chitinases present in D. citri and several related hemipterans that appears to be the result of horizontal gene transfer.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.AcAgrius convolvuliAgAnopheles gambiaeApAcyrthosiphon pisumArAdineta ricciaeBcBradysia coprophilaBmBombyx moriBtBemisia tabaciCBDChitin binding domainCGENCitrus Greening Expression NetworkChtChitinaseCLasCandidatus Liberibacter asiaticusCnContarinia nasturtiiDcDiaphorina citriDmDrosophila melanogasterDnDiuraphis noxiaDpDanaus plexippus plexippusENGaseendo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidaseHGThorizontal gene transferIdgfImaginal disc growth factorMCOTMaker, Cufflinks, Oases and TrinityMpMyzus persicaeNCBINational Center for Biotechnology InformationNlNilaparvata lugensOfOstrinia furnacalisOGSofficial gene setPxPapilio XuthusRNA-SeqRNA sequencingSfSipha flavaSlSpodoptera lituraS/Tserine/threonineTcTribolium castaneumTPMtranscripts per millionTuTetranychus urticae