Horizontal gene transfer in insects: Insights into origins, detection, and functional roles

Dongwu Zhan; Zening Wang; Jixing Xia; Yuange Duan; Ling Ma; Li Tian; Wanzhi Cai; Hu Li

doi:10.59717/j.xinn-life.2026.100223

The Innovation Life > 2026 Vol. 4 > No. 3 > 100223

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Horizontal gene transfer in insects: Insights into origins, detection, and functional roles

1.
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

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Corresponding author: tigerleecau@hotmail.com
Received Date: December 03, 2025

Accepted Date: May 26, 2026

Published Online: May 29, 2026

The Innovation Life 4(3), https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-life.2026.100223 | Cite this article

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

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PUBLIC SUMMARY

PUBLIC SUMMARY
1. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) can drive evolutionary innovation via cross-species transfer of genes.
  
  Insect HGT are commonly analyzed through identification, validation, and functional exploration.
  
  We compiled 3336 insect HGT-origin peptides, identifying bacteria and fungi as the primary donor sources.
  
  HGT facilitate symbiosis and biosynthesis, undergoing domestication via maintenance or innovation.

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Unlike vertical gene transfer, horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows organisms to acquire genetic material from distantly related lineages, serving as a vital source of evolutionary innovation beyond conventional inheritance. Advances in meta-omics technologies have enabled the identification of thousands of horizontally transferred genes (HTGs) across diverse insect taxa, with mounting evidence supporting their recurrent integration and functional importance. This review synthesizes current understanding of insect HGT, focusing on four major themes: (1) Methodologies for detecting HGT have evolved from PCR-based assays to include parametric and phylogenetic approaches, often complemented by transcriptomic validation; (2) Donor sources span bacteria, fungi, viruses, plants, and metazoans, with bacterial endosymbionts being the predominant contributors, and Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera emerging as the most frequent recipients; (3) Functional analyses indicate lineage-specific biases, with the majority of well-characterized HTGs involved in glycoside hydrolysis or symbiosis-related processes; (4) HTGs undergo domestication via either "maintenance”—preserving ancestral functions—or "innovation"—enabling novel traits. These dynamics are reflected in four recurrent adaptive patterns: ecological versatility, symbiotic synergy, adversary subversion, and weaponized innovation. Despite significant progress, challenges persist in refining detection pipelines, expanding taxonomic coverage, and strengthening functional validation. Collectively, these findings provide a conceptual framework for deciphering cross-kingdom genetic exchanges and their contributions to insect adaptation and diversification.
- Horizontal gene transfer /
- Insect /
- Gene function /
- Gene family /
- Adaptation /
- Evolution

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Zhan D., Wang Z., Xia J., et al. (2026). Horizontal gene transfer in insects: Insights into origins, detection, and functional roles. The Innovation Life 4:100223. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-life.2026.100223

Zhan D., Wang Z., Xia J., et al. (2026). Horizontal gene transfer in insects: Insights into origins, detection, and functional roles. The Innovation Life 4:100223. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-life.2026.100223

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Horizontal gene transfer in insects: Insights into origins, detection, and functional roles

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