D3044: Revisiting the detoxification repertoire of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea

The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, is a notorious agricultural pest that devastates numerous economically important plants. Detoxification gene families play a critical role in host-plant adaptation and insecticide resistance. In this study, we aim to identify a complete set of detoxification gene families from the recently-assembled long-read reference genome sequence and to map differentially expressed genes across eight different larval tissues. Here we present an update on the five major detoxification gene families: cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP), carboxyl/cholinesterase (CCE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (UGT), and ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC).  Our focus includes their gene structure, differential expression, and phylogenetic analysis. This study lays a foundation for further investigations into the functional analysis of specific genes of interest and provides insights into how the corn earworm thrives on a variety of host plants. It offers valuable information for developing strategies to manage this pest species.