Genome sequencing of Pachypeltis micranthus Mu et Liu (Hemiptera: Miridae), a potential biological control agent for Mikania micrantha

<p><span>The plant bug, <i>Pachypeltis micranthus</i> Mu et Liu (Hemiptera: Miridae), is a potential biological control agent for <i>Mikania micrantha</i> H.B.K. (Asteraceae; one of the most invasive weeds worldwide). To date, only a few studies have investigated plant bugs. Here, we performed a chromosome-level genome assembly of <i>P. micranthus</i> using MGISEQ-2000 short-read, Nanopore, PacBio long-read, and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) techniques. The assembled genome was 712.72 Mb in size, with a contig N50 of 16.84 Mb. Using the Hi-C technique, 71 scaffolds were assembled into 15 chromosomes, accounting for 99.96%. We predicted 11,746 protein-coding genes in <i>P. micranthus</i> with 96.20% complete benchmarking universal single-copy orthologs. Phylogenomic analysis showed that <i>P. micranthus</i> and two other Miridae bugs (<i>Apolygus lucorum</i> and <i>Nesidiocoris tenuis</i>) diverged from the common ancestor approximately 200.01 million years ago. Chromosome synteny analysis between <i>P. micranthus</i> and <i>A. lucorum</i> indicated high-level synteny. Many gene families including chemosensory genes and digestive and detoxification enzyme genes—were significantly expanded in the <i>P. micranthus</i> genome. These expanded gene families may indicate the bug to adapt to the single host plant. This high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly provides an invaluable resource for further molecular and evolutionary research on mirid bugs and also provides a basis for further research on biological control mechanisms for<i> M. micrantha</i>.</span></p>