Adaptation of an herbivorous arthropod to green tea plants by overcoming catechin defenses
Naoki Takeda, Brendan Abiskaroon, Ricardo Hernández Arriaza, Ryutaro Murakami, Shogo Sasaki, Masanobu Yamamoto, Vladimir Zhurov, Vojislava Grbić, M. Chruszcz, Takeshi Suzuki
This study identifies a horizontally transferred gene, DOG15, and its amino acid substitutions that enable T. kanzawai mites to detoxify green tea catechins and adapt to tea plants, unlike T. urticae.
bioRxiv · Jun 21, 2026 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology