An integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n. from Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

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  An integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n. from Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) Abstract The genus  Euscorpius  Thorell, 1876 comprises a diverse and taxonomically challenging group of scorpions in the Mediterranean, with Greece representing one of its principal centers of diversity. In this study, we provide an integrative description of  Euscorpius diagorasi   sp. n. , a new species from Rhodes Island, Greece. The new species is described on the basis of adult male and female morphology and mitochondrial COI sequence data. It is a small oligotrichous species characterized by a total length of approximately 21–25 mm, pale yellow to light brown coloration with darker reddish-brown pedipalps, pectinal tooth count of 8 in the male and 7 in the females, Pv = 7–8, Pe-et = 5–6, and a distinct mitochondrial lineage. Phylogenetic analyses based on COI recovered the Rhodian specimens as a strongly supported monophyletic lineage, sister to...

Duplication of a conserved mitochondrial enzyme gene arms parasitoid wasps with venom cytotoxicity and oogenesis regulation

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Duplication of a conserved mitochondrial enzyme gene arms parasitoid wasps with venom cytotoxicity and oogenesis regulation

Abstract

Gene duplication, followed by neofunctionalization, is a key mechanism driving the emergence of evolutionary novelties. Despite its significance, the molecular and functional processes underlying this phenomenon remain incompletely understood. By tracing the evolutionary history of cysteine-S-conjugate beta-lyase genes within the kynurenine aminotransferase family, we identified a gene duplication event in parasitoid wasps of the Chalcidoidea superfamily. Notably, a single-copy, highly conserved mitochondria-localized physiological gene underwent a significant duplication, resulting in one copy being recruited into the venom system and acquired cytotoxicity against wasps' hosts. Through this neofunctionalization process, we observed several key evolutionary changes, including loss of ancestral mitochondrial localization and enzyme activity, acquisition of a secretory signal peptide, shift in expression pattern, positive selection, and the establishment of evolutionary acquired protein–protein interactions. Additionally, we found that another duplicate copy was specialized in wasps' ovary and repurposed for oogenesis regulation. Our study offers a detailed insight into the genetic and molecular mechanisms that drive functional diversification during the evolution of gene families.

Song, J., Qi, Z., He, C., Luo, G., Yuan, B., Xiao, S., Yang, Y., Wang, F., Ye, G., Fang, Q., & Yan, Z. (2025). Duplication of a conserved mitochondrial enzyme gene arms parasitoid wasps with venom cytotoxicity and oogenesis regulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(39), e2512820122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2512820122