Reconstructing a comprehensive transcriptome assembly of a white-pupal translocated strain of the pest fruit fly Bactrocera cucurbitae

BackgroundBactrocera cucurbitae is a serious global agricultural pest. Basic genomic information is lacking for this species, and this would be useful to inform methods of control, damage mitigation, and eradication efforts. Here, we have sequenced, assembled, and annotated a comprehensive transcriptome for a mass-rearing sexing strain of this species. This forms a foundational genomic and transcriptomic resource that can be used to better understand the physiology and biochemistry of this insect as well as being a useful tool for population genetics.FindingsA transcriptome assembly was constructed containing 17,654 transcript isoforms derived from 10,425 unigenes. This transcriptome size is similar to reports from other Tephritid species and probably includes about 70-80% of the protein-coding genes in the genome. The dataset is publicly available in NCBI and GigaDB as a resource for researchers.ConclusionsFoundational knowledge on the protein-coding genes in B. cucurbitae will lead to improved resources for this species. Through comparison with a model system such as Drosophila as well as a growing number of related Tephritid transcriptomes, improved strategies can be developed to control this pest.

背景 南瓜实蝇是一种严重的全球性农业害虫。该物种缺乏基本的基因组信息，而这些信息对于制定防治、减轻危害以及根除措施是有用的。在此，我们对该物种的一个大量饲养的性别鉴定品系进行了测序、组装和注释一个全面的转录组。这形成了一个基础的基因组和转录组资源，可用于更好地理解这种昆虫的生理学和生物化学，同时也是种群遗传学的一个有用工具。 研究结果 构建了一个转录组组装，包含来自10425个单基因的17654个转录异构体。这个转录组大小与其他实蝇科物种的报道相似，可能包含基因组中约70 - 80%的蛋白质编码基因。该数据集在NCBI和GigaDB上公开可用，作为研究人员的资源。 结论 关于南瓜实蝇蛋白质编码基因的基础知识将为该物种带来改进的资源。通过与果蝇等模式系统以及越来越多的相关实蝇科转录组进行比较，可以制定出改进的策略来控制这种害虫。