Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Kerrville, Texas » Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory » LAPRU » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321491
Research Project: Genomics of Livestock Pests

Location: Livestock Arthropod Pests Research

Title: Genome-based approach to discover new livestock pest control technologies: The horn fly (Haematobia irritans) genome sequencing project

Author
item Guerrero, Felicito
item Miller, Robert
item Temeyer, Kevin
item Goolsby, John
item Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/28/2014
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Invasion of the Americas by the horn fly, H. irritans, has resulted in control issues throughout the continent. Insecticide resistance is a major complicating factor with efforts to manage this pest. Stakeholder focus groups identified the horn fly as the top priority arthropod pest affecting cattle producers in the U.S., which causes annual economic losses to agriculture of ~$1 billion. Widespread insecticide resistance among horn fly populations highlights the need for the development of novel technologies that can be used in an integrated fashion. Our hypothesis is that unraveling the genome and transcriptome will enable the discovery and development of new insecticides, vaccines, and transgenic horn flies for sustainable control, and possibly eradication. The 1.2 Gb horn fly genome has been sequenced to a draft 10X coverage level using a combination of Pac Bio and HiSeq Illumina-based protocols. Assembly of this genome is underway using an error-correction approach, which creates a hybrid assembly with data acquired from both sequencing platforms. Early embryo and larval stage transcriptomes obtained with 454 pyrosequencing-based protocols were supplemented with Illumina paired-end sequencing, which resulted in the development of a transcriptome database for adult male and female flies. A transcriptome study of 18 different life stages and major organs was initiated using a bar-coded HiSeq approach. These transcriptomes include salivary gland, olfactory sensors, ovary, testes, malpighian tubules, adult midgut, head, whole adult flies 0, 2, 6, and 24 hours post-first blood meal, developing embryos, and pupae.