Transcriptomic analyses of labial glands and gut tissue from two wax moths, Achroia grisella and Galleria mellonella

Biodegradation using insect larvae has recently emerged as a promising strategy to address this issue, though the molecular basis of plastic degradation in these organisms remains poorly understood due to limited genomic resources.

In this study, we present a complete genome of the lesser wax moth, Achroia grisella, and tissue-specific RNA-Seq data of both the lesser and the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, two species known to consume various plastics. Our analyses reveal several highly expressed secretory enzymes in gut and labial tissues. Orthologous comparisons of differentially expressed genes also identified five enzymes (three hexamerins and two monooxygenases) from the lesser wax moth that have been shown or are predicted to have plastic-degrading potential in the greater wax moth.