金小蜂不仅是重要的昆虫天敌资源,还是理想的模式生物。2010年1月15日,3种金小蜂(丽蝇蛹集金小蜂Nasonia vitripennis、吉氏金小蜂N.giraulti和长角金小蜂N.longicornis)的基因组在《科学》上发表。这一事件标志着金小蜂研究"后基因组时代"的开始。金小蜂基因组测序完成后,科学家们就利用生物信息学、比较基因组学、功能基因组学等方法,基于基因组平台,在进化遗传学、发育生物学、神经生物学、行为学等领域开展了系列研究,取得了重要进展,国际著名杂志《昆虫分子生物学》和《遗传》还以特刊的形式进行刊载。本文就金小蜂基因组学相关研究取得的进展予以扼要概述,并探讨其研究方向和发展前景。
Nasonia is not only an important insect natural enemy but also an ideal model organism.On Jan.15,2010,the genomes of Nasonia vitripennis,N.giraulti,and N.longicornis were published in the journal Science.For Nasonia,the "post-genomic era" started with this event.The sequencing of these Nasonia genomes opens new doors to study many aspects of Nasonia,including genetics,evolution,developmental biology,neurobiology and behavior using the tools of bioinformatics,comparative genomics,and functional genomics.Many articles have been prompted by the publication of the Nasonia genome sequence.Special issues of Insect Molecular Biology and Heredity contain most of the recent findings of the Nasonia Genome Project.Here,recent publications related to Nasonia genomics are reviewed briefly,and opportunities for research and future perspectives discussed.