Divergent sesquiterpenoid hormones methyl farnesoate and farnesoic acid production in centipedes and millipedes

Sesquiterpenoids juvenile hormones (JH) are major hormones that regulate the developmental and reproductive processes in insects. In non-insect arthropods, methyl farnesoate (MF) is generally regarded as the major functional sesquiterpenoid hormone. The respective synthesis of JH and MF in insects and crustaceans are at the last biosynthetic step catalysed by juvenile hormone methyltransferase (JHAMT). Here, we have sequenced three new centipede genomes and two new millipede genomes, and found that JHAMT genes are only contained in the centipede but not the millipede genomes.