Scientists Crack Parasitic Wasp Genome

Researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have successfully deciphered the genome of Nasonia, a parasitic wasp widely used in biological control and a key experimental organism that's been used for genetic research for over half a century. The team sequenced more than 10,000 expressed sequence tags of the genome. They are now scouring the wasp's genome for important 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.

Parasitic wasps such as Nasonia are important regulators of agricultural pests. According to ARS, U.S. biological control programs using parasitoid wasps "currently save approximately $20 billion annually in crop losses to newly invasive species." "These wasps have been a major benefit to food production for humans by reducing the quantity of food crops destroyed by pests and reducing the need for pesticides."

Read the original story at http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=1261