Insecticide detoxification genes from alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata)

The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata (Fabricius), is a solitary bee that is the most important pollinator commercially used for alfalfa seed production. However the bee can get exposed to insecticides that are used for pest control in this crop. We analyzed a leafcutting bee EST dataset to identify what insecticide detoxification genes are active in the larvae of this bee. The alfalfa leafcutting bee contains several detoxification genes known from other insects, such as glutathione-S-transferase-like protein, cytochrome P450s, catalase, CuZn superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, esterases, lipase, lysosomal, as have also been found in the honey bee genome. However, unlike the honey bee genome, the leafcutting bee EST dataset did not include genes assumed to be related to social immunity, such as glucose oxidase, that may also play a role in insecticide detoxification. Further comparison of the phylogenetic relationship for three typical insecticide detoxification genes (glutathione-S-transferase, cytochrome P450s and esterases) has been analyzed among Megachile rotundata, Apis mellifera, Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae.