Researchers have made significant progress in the genome sequencing of the fruit fly family, Drosophila, by sequencing 179 species, including wild, museum-preserved, and laboratory-raised flies. Using a hybrid approach to sequencing, they generated high-quality, low-cost genomes
Researchers have made significant progress in the genome sequencing of the fruit fly family, Drosophila, by sequencing 179 species, including wild, museum-preserved, and laboratory-raised flies. Using a hybrid approach to sequencing, they generated high-quality, low-cost genomes.
The researchers used a hybrid approach to sequence DNA from wild and museum flies.
Expanding genome horizons in fruit fly research
Gene sequence data fills in significant gaps in the tree of life of fruit flies, Bernard Kim of Stanford University and his colleagues report today (July 18) in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.
The fruit flies are classic model organisms in biological research and were among the first species to have their complete genome sequenced. With over 4,400 species, the diversity of the fruit fly family can offer insights into the patterns and processes of evolution. However, only a small fraction of these species have been sequenced, and most of the published fruit fly genomes are from a very limited set of species with degenerate laboratory strains.
To address this, the researchers sequenced the genomes of 179 species of flies in the Drosophila family, including wild-collected flies, museum-preserved specimens, and laboratory-bred strains. Using a hybrid approach to sequencing that combines state-of-the-art short- and long-sequencing technologies, they were able to generate high-quality, low-cost genomes from limited material. They used the new genomes and previously published data to create a phylogenetic tree for 360 species in the Drosophila family, thereby improving our understanding of the evolutionary relationships between these species. They also released nearly 300 fruit fly genomes as an open source tool for future comparative genomics studies.
While major sequencing efforts for larger organisms such as mammals are underway, this study demonstrates that genome sequencing for organisms as small as individual flies—even those kept in museums for up to two decades—is currently possible.
The authors add, "It is now entirely feasible to think about assembling genomes for hundreds or thousands of species, even within the research budget of a single laboratory. This type of large-scale family-level sampling will provide us with unprecedented resolution for studying genomes of groups as diverse as fruit flies and beyond, and will improve the We understood the process of evolution."
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