The potential pigmentation‐related genes in spider mites revealed by comparative transcriptomes of the red form of Tetranychus urticae

Colouration in spider mites is due to the presence of carotenoids with diverse colours, including yellows, oranges and reds. Tetranychus urticae has two main colour forms, red and green. Although a ketolase has been implicated in determining the colour, the underlying genetic basis of body colour divergence between the two forms has remained unclear. Based on a combination of comparative transcriptomes and RNA interference, we found that a gene encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme of the CYP4 clan (CYP389B1) had remarkably high expression in adult females of the red T. urticae, as well as in hybrids obtained by crossing the red and green forms. Down‐regulation of this gene by RNA interference resulted in decreased accumulation of red pigment. Up‐regulation of the expressions of a scavenger receptor gene (SCARB1) and a mitochondrial glycine transporter (SLC25A38) also strongly contributed to red colour development in adult females. Suppressing the mRNA levels of these genes also resulted in reduced accumulation of red pigment in the three other spider mites with red body colour. Our results provide evidence that the body colour divergence between the two forms is caused by different expressions of pigmentation‐related genes, and point to a possible role of a novel cytochrome P450 gene (CYP389B1) in regulating red‐orange body colour. These findings expand the number of candidate cytochrome P450 genes involved in endogenous pigmentation and will help to understand their roles in determining colour patterns in mites and other species. Up‐regulation of pigmentation‐associated genes leads to red‐body colour in spider mites. Significantly low expression of each of CYP389B1, SCARB1 and SLC25A38 genes decreased red pigmentation. A novel CYP4 clan gene (CYP389B1) has an important effect on body colour divergence.