TLDR: we characterise multiple Drs loci & sequences. In at least one seeming HGT event, Drs genes are even immune-induced. We also found 4 conserved serine codons that let us check if any gene lineages could be convergent evolution[3]. 0/4 on convergence! 3. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... 6/n

Lastly, we also observed that Drosomycin is secondarily lost in some lineages. The clearest case is of wood-feeding cockroaches and termites relative to cockroach/mantis outgroup – a loss associated with dietary shift akin to our previous finding in flies (Hanson et al., 2023; Science). 7/n

AMPs can be duplicated, and they evolve rapidly. AMP genes can also be lost over time, perhaps due to selection imposed by host ecology-relevant 🦠. Here we suggest gain of tried-and-tested AMPs can occur just as suddenly; a mechanism to generate lineage-specific defence competence. 8/8