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Draft genome of the globally widespread and invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile).


ABSTRACT: Ants are some of the most abundant and familiar animals on Earth, and they play vital roles in most terrestrial ecosystems. Although all ants are eusocial, and display a variety of complex and fascinating behaviors, few genomic resources exist for them. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a particularly widespread and well-studied species, the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), which was accomplished using a combination of 454 (Roche) and Illumina sequencing and community-based funding rather than federal grant support. Manual annotation of >1,000 genes from a variety of different gene families and functional classes reveals unique features of the Argentine ant's biology, as well as similarities to Apis mellifera and Nasonia vitripennis. Distinctive features of the Argentine ant genome include remarkable expansions of gustatory (116 genes) and odorant receptors (367 genes), an abundance of cytochrome P450 genes (>110), lineage-specific expansions of yellow/major royal jelly proteins and desaturases, and complete CpG DNA methylation and RNAi toolkits. The Argentine ant genome contains fewer immune genes than Drosophila and Tribolium, which may reflect the prominent role played by behavioral and chemical suppression of pathogens. Analysis of the ratio of observed to expected CpG nucleotides for genes in the reproductive development and apoptosis pathways suggests higher levels of methylation than in the genome overall. The resources provided by this genome sequence will offer an abundance of tools for researchers seeking to illuminate the fascinating biology of this emerging model organism.

SUBMITTER: Smith CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3078359 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Draft genome of the globally widespread and invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile).

Smith Christopher D CD   Zimin Aleksey A   Holt Carson C   Abouheif Ehab E   Benton Richard R   Cash Elizabeth E   Croset Vincent V   Currie Cameron R CR   Elhaik Eran E   Elsik Christine G CG   Fave Marie-Julie MJ   Fernandes Vilaiwan V   Gadau Jürgen J   Gibson Joshua D JD   Graur Dan D   Grubbs Kirk J KJ   Hagen Darren E DE   Helmkampf Martin M   Holley Jo-Anne JA   Hu Hao H   Viniegra Ana Sofia Ibarraran AS   Johnson Brian R BR   Johnson Reed M RM   Khila Abderrahman A   Kim Jay W JW   Laird Joseph J   Mathis Kaitlyn A KA   Moeller Joseph A JA   Muñoz-Torres Monica C MC   Murphy Marguerite C MC   Nakamura Rin R   Nigam Surabhi S   Overson Rick P RP   Placek Jennifer E JE   Rajakumar Rajendhran R   Reese Justin T JT   Robertson Hugh M HM   Smith Chris R CR   Suarez Andrew V AV   Suen Garret G   Suhr Elissa L EL   Tao Shu S   Torres Candice W CW   van Wilgenburg Ellen E   Viljakainen Lumi L   Walden Kimberly K O KK   Wild Alexander L AL   Yandell Mark M   Yorke James A JA   Tsutsui Neil D ND  

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20110131 14


Ants are some of the most abundant and familiar animals on Earth, and they play vital roles in most terrestrial ecosystems. Although all ants are eusocial, and display a variety of complex and fascinating behaviors, few genomic resources exist for them. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a particularly widespread and well-studied species, the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), which was accomplished using a combination of 454 (Roche) and Illumina sequencing and community-base  ...[more]

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