Scientists Decipher Genomes of Parasitic Wasps

An international consortium, composed of more than 150 researchers, have successfully deciphered the genome of Nasonia, a parasitic wasp widely used in biological control and a key experimental organism considered as the lab rat of parasitoid insects. "Parasitic wasps attack and kill pest insects, but many of them are smaller than the head of a pin, so people don't notice them or know of their important role in keeping pest numbers down," says John Werren, a researcher at the University of Rochester and one of the leaders of the study. "There are over 600,000 species of these amazing critters, and we owe them a lot. If it weren't for parasitoids and other natural enemies, we would be knee-deep in pest insects." The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that parasitic wasps save the United States at least $20 billion annually by controlling invasive species."

Werren and colleagues specifically sequenced and analyzed the genomes of three closely related parasitoid wasps: Nasonia vitripennis, N. giraulti and N. longicornis. Their work appears in this week's issue of Science.

The researchers are now searching the wasp genomes for genes that may shed light on parasitoid biology as well as for genes involved in important biological processes like sense of smell, behavior, toxicology and enzymatic pathways. The genomes might also prove useful in the field of medicine. Nasonia has 450 genes in common with humans that are not found in fruit flies (Drosophila), including the full set of genes needed for methylation.

Download the paper at http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1178028 A summary paper, also published by Science, is available at http://dx.doi/org/10.1126/science.327.5963.260