Abstract
Tribolium castaneum is a member of the most species-rich eukaryotic order, a powerful model organism for the study of generalized insect development, and an important pest of stored agricultural products. We describe its genome sequence here. This omnivorous beetle has evolved the ability to interact with a diverse chemical environment, as shown by large expansions in odorant and gustatory receptors, as well as P450 and other detoxification enzymes. Development in Tribolium is more representative of other insects than is Drosophila, a fact reflected in gene content and function. For example, Tribolium has retained more ancestral genes involved in cell-cell communication than Drosophila, some being expressed in the growth zone crucial for axial elongation in short-germ development. Systemic RNA interference in T. castaneum functions differently from that in Caenorhabditis elegans, but nevertheless offers similar power for the elucidation of gene function and identification of targets for selective insect control.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 949-955 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | NATURE |
Volume | 452 |
Issue number | 7190 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 24 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgements Work at the BCM-HGSC was funded by grants from the NHGRI and USDA. FgenesH and FgenesH11 analysis was donated by Softberry Inc. This research was additionally supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Library of Medicine.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General