The recognition of development-related genes in the testis and MAGs of time-series Harmonia axyridis adults using a time-series analysis by RNA-seq

As an important natural enemy of aphids and other pests in agriculture, Harmonia axyridis has been widely used in classic biological control. The testis and male accessory gland (MAG) of H. axyridis are typically associated with the ability of egg-laying by multiple mating and influence mass artificial breeding for biological control. Development-related genes might impact the growth of adult testis and MAGs, but this has not yet been reported. Here, we use an integrative time-series analysis with RNA-seq in the testis and MAGs of H. axyridis adults to detect development-related genes. > 10.3 Gb of clean data were obtained. All differentially expressed genes (DEG) between samples were analyzed with five databases for building a DEG annotation database. By combining previous reports, the DEG annotation database, and gene expression level changes in four different stages, the 26 DEGs related to testis and MAGs development were identified. To validate the expression profile, 15 random DEGs were chosen to perform RT-qPCR, and they were all in accordance with the RNA-Seq results. Taken together, this study established a robust pipeline for the discovery of key genes using RNA-seq and allowed for the class identification of development-related genes in the testis and MAGs for comprehensive characterization.