Characterization and analysis of myosin gene family in the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)

Myosin is an actin-based motor protein that widely exists in muscle tissue and non-muscle tissue, and myosin of a diverse subfamily has obvious differences in structure and cell function. Many eukaryotes and even some unicellular organisms possess a variety of myosins. They have been well characterized in human, fungi and other organisms. However, the myosin gene family in Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 (Middle East-Asia Minor1 species) is poorly studied. In the study, we identified 15 myosin genes in B. tabaci MEAM1 based on a genome database. Myosin genes can be divided into ten classes, including subfamilies I, II, III, V, VI, VII, IX, XV, XVIII, XX in B. tabaci MEAM1. The amounts of myosin in Class I are the largest of the isoforms. Expression profiling of myosins by quantitative real-time PCR revealed that their expression differed among developmental stages and different tissues of B. tabaci MEAM1. The diversely may be related to the development characteristics of B. tabaci MEAM1. The BtaMyo-IIIb-like X1 was highly expressed in nymphs 4 instar which may be related to the development process before metamorphosis. Our outcome contributes to the basis for further research on myosin gene function in B. tabaci MEAM1 and homologous myosins in other biology.