A novel approach in biological systematics: Phylogenetic analysis of Polyneoptera (Hexapoda, Insecta) based on neuropeptide sequences

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Reinhard Predel
• Subject Area: Systematics and Morphology (Zoology) ; Evolution, Anthropology
• Term: from 2013 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 249768800

• Final Report Year: 2022

Final Report Abstract

A main objective of the project was to test the suitability of neuropeptide sequences for the analysis of higher level phylogenetic relationships in insects. The obtained datasets also provided detailed insights into the evolution of insect neuropeptide precursors. Regarding the evolution of peptidergic systems, our results indicate that the reported loss of neuropeptide genes in winged insects, particularly holometabolous insects, is a trend that occurrs mainly within winged insects but not in their sister group (non-pterygote hexapods). For Polyneoptera, which were central to the project, we compiled a comprehensive precursor dataset from about 200 species to study the evolution of neuropeptide precursors. Based on the sequences obtained, the degree of sequence conservation between and within the different polyneopteran lineages was examined and the data were also used to postulate the individual neuropeptide sequences that were present at the time of the insect emergence more than 400 million years ago. The average evolutionary divergences for the different neuropeptide precursors differ significantly between the polyneopteran orders. Following the detailed analysis of neuropeptide gene/precursor evolution, we tested the potential phylogenetic signals of their sequences as an alternative approach to recent state-of-the-art analyses that used very large datasets of orthologous genes. This proof-of-principle study was the first comprehensive exploitation of such precursor sequences of arthropods and demonstrated the applicability of these rather short but well conserved sequences. Phylogenetic trees based on neuropeptide precursor sequences are therefore a reliable source of information, while the concept has remained simple and straightforward.

Publications

• (2016) Evolution of neuropeptides in non-pterygote hexapods. BMC Evolutionary Biology 16:51
  Derst C, Dircksen H, Meusemann K, Zhou X, Liu S, Predel R
  
• (2017) Identification and distribution of products from novel tryptopyrokinin genes in the locust, Locusta migratoria. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 486:70-75
  Redeker J, Bläser M, Neupert S, Predel R
  
• (2020) Evolution of neuropeptide precursors in Polyneoptera (Insecta). Frontiers Endocrinology 11:197
  Bläser M, Predel R
  
• (2020) The power of neuropeptide precursor sequences to reveal phylogenetic relationships in insects: A case study on Blattodea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 143:106686
  Bläser M, Misof B, Predel R