@article{PAR00030976,
  title = {{T}ransposable elements contribute to the evolution of host shift-related genes in cactophilic {D}rosophila species},
  author = {de {O}liveira, {D}. {S}. and {L}arue, {A}. and {N}unes, {W}. {V}. {B}. and {S}abot, {F}ran{\c{c}}ois and {B}odelón, {A}. and {G}uerreiro, {M}. {P}. {G}. and {V}ieira, {C}. and {C}arareto, {C}. {M}. {A}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{H}ost shifts in insects are considered a key process with the potential to contribute to reproductive isolation and speciation. {B}oth genomic and transcriptomic variation are attributed to such a process, in which gene families with functions associated with host localization, acceptance, and usage are proposed to evolve. {I}n this context, cactophilic {D}rosophila species serve as an excellent model to study host shift evolution, because they use a wide range of cacti as hosts, and many species display different preferences. {T}ransposable elements are a source of genetic novelty between populations and species, driving rapid adaptive evolution. {H}owever, the extent of {TE}s' contribution to host shift remains unexplored. {H}ere, we perform genomic and transcriptomic analyses in six genomes of cactophilic species/subspecies to investigate how {TE}s interact with genes associated with host shift. {O}ur results reveal enrichment of {TE}s at promoter regions of host shift-related genes, with similar to 39% of the odorant receptors containing their transcription factor binding sites within {TE}s. {W}e observe that similar to 50% of these {TE}s are {H}elitrons, demonstrating an unprecedented putative cis-regulatory role of {H}elitrons in {D}rosophila. {D}ifferential expression analysis between species with different preferred hosts reveals divergence in gene expression in heads and larvae. {A}lthough {TE}s' presence does not affect overall gene expression, we observe 6.27% of the expressed genes generating gene-{TE} chimeric transcripts, including those with function affecting host preference. {O}ur combined genomic and transcriptomic approaches provide evidence of {TE}-driven divergence between species, highlighting the evolutionary role of {TE}s in the context of host shift, a key adaptive process that can cause reproductive isolation.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}enome {R}esearch},
  volume = {36},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {487--505},
  ISSN = {1088-9051},
  year = {2026},
  DOI = {10.1101/gr.280463.125},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00030976},
}