Genetic and genomic tools for the emerging model organsism, Nasonia

描述（由申请人提供）：Nasonia是四种昆虫物种的一个属，其迅速成为模型系统，特别是用于复杂性状、发育和微生物-宿主相互作用的遗传学。它有几个特点，使它成为一个优秀的遗传系统。这些包括易于处理，世代时间短，雄性单倍性，可育物种，可见和分子标记，以及丰富的生物学和医学相关的表型。这种性别决定的形式，称为单倍性，使纳索尼亚特别适合遗传研究。雌性是二倍体，由受精卵发育而成，而雄性是单倍体，由未受精卵孤雌生殖发育而成。这使得遗传学家能够在复杂的真核生物中利用单倍体遗传学的许多优势。此外，Nasonia容易近亲繁殖，允许产生等基因系，并且属中的四个物种是互育的（去除内共生体Wolbachia后），促进物种之间的基因移动，以有效地定位克隆数量性状基因座（QTL）。全基因组测序结果表明，N. vitripennis（Nv）和部分（1X）测序的可互作物种N. giraulti（Ng）和黄腹拟步行虫N. longicornis（Nl）现在已经完成。该基因组计划提供了丰富的物种间多态性（SNP，插入缺失，微卫星），以促进定位克隆。一个影响特定组织细胞生长的基因已经被克隆出来，其他的努力正在进行中，以剖析翅膀发育、胚胎发育、单性生殖、细菌-宿主相互作用、宿主偏好、性别决定、滞育、雄性信息素以及求偶和繁殖的遗传基础。此外，系统性RNAi和转化最近已在Nasonia中得到证实。我们建议进一步开发一套基因组和遗传工具，使研究界能够更有效地利用这一新兴遗传系统的特殊优势。我们的具体目标是（a）使用有效的基于阵列的方法和种间杂交完成Nasonia支架的作图，（B）分析和开发用于利用Nasonia转录组的工具，（c）改进RNAi和转基因方法和工具，以及（d）开发一套遗传工具以增强有效的定位克隆。这些资源将有助于发现和克隆Nasonia中的QTL，并将其用于其他研究系统的比较遗传学和基因组研究。拟议的工具开发将大大提高Nasonia系统作为一个遗传和比较模型，并允许更充分地利用Nasonia基因组。它得到了Nasonia和其他相关研究团体的大力支持。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Nasonia is a genus of four insect species that is quickly emerging as a model system, particularly for the genetics of complex traits, development, and microbial-host interactions. It has several features that make it an excellent genetic system. These include ease of handling, short generation time, male haploidy, interfertile species, visible and molecular markers, and a wealth of phenotypes of biological and medical relevance. The form of sex determination, called haplodiploidy, makes Nasonia particularly suited for genetic studies. Females are diploid and develop from fertilized eggs, whereas males are haploid and develop parthenogenetically from unfertilized eggs. This allows geneticists to exploit many of the advantages of haploid genetics in an otherwise complex eukaryotic organism. Furthermore, Nasonia readily inbreeds, permitting production of isogenic lines, and the four species in the genus are inter-fertile (after removal of the endosymbiont Wolbachia), facilitating movement of genes between the species for efficient positional cloning of quantitative trait loci (QTL). Full (6X) genome sequencing of N. vitripennis (Nv) and partial (1X) sequencing of the interfertile species N. giraulti (Ng) and N. longicornis (Nl) is now completed. This genome project provides a wealth of interspecies polymorphisms (SNPs, indels, microsatelites) to facilitate positional cloning. A gene affecting tissue-specific cell growth has already been cloned, and other efforts are underway to dissect the genetic basis of wing-development, embryonic development, parthenogenesis, bacterial-host interactions, host preference, sex determination, diapause, male pheromones, and courtship and reproduction. In addition, systemic RNAi and transformation have recently been demonstrated in Nasonia. We propose to further develop a set of genomic and genetic tools that will allow the research community to exploit more efficiently the particular advantages of this emerging genetic system. Our specific goals are to (a) complete mapping of the Nasonia scaffolds using an efficient array-based approach and interspecies crosses, (b) analyze and develop tools for exploiting the Nasonia transcriptome, (c) Improve RNAi and transgenesis methods and tools, and (d) develop a set of genetic tools to enhance efficient positional cloning. These resources will both improve discovery and cloning of QTL in Nasonia, and its utility to other research systems for comparative genetic and genomic research. The proposed tool development will greatly enhance the Nasonia system as a genetic and comparative model, and allow fuller utilization of the Nasonia genome. It has the strong support of the Nasonia and other relevant research communities.