Vaishally, S.P., Thyagarajan, K.R., & Shukla, S.P. 2025 An endosymbiotic origin of the crimson pigment from the lac insect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 122(25): e2501623122
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Notes: This study elucidates the origin of the lac pigment, a group of polyketide-based secondary metabolites found in the lac insect. Authors present evidence that the characteristic deep red color of the insect is derived from a yeast-like symbiont (YLS). These findings underscore the role of fungal symbionts in insect adaptation as providers of primary metabolites and biologically active secondary metabolites, including pigments. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2501623122
