Evolutionary dynamics of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes reflects feeding ecology in weevils.

Weevil species exhibit highly variable plant cell wall-degrading enzyme repertoires that correlate with their feeding ecology, driven by gene transfer, duplication, and loss.

• Why it matters: Understanding the evolution of these enzymes is crucial because they enable herbivorous beetles to access plant nutrients, yet their evolutionary pathways remain largely unexplored in weevils.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed transcriptomes and genomes from 45 weevil species, identifying 13 PCWDE families and tracking their evolution across different diets and life stages.
• The result: Findings reveal that gene transfer, duplication, and loss shaped PCWDE diversity, supporting weevils' ecological success and highlighting the role of horizontal gene transfer in their evolutionary history.