Location: Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research
Project Number: 6050-21000-016-028-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 27, 2023
End Date: Jul 26, 2028
Objective:
The principal objective of this collaborative agreement is to successfully develop a honey bee reference pangenome utilizing representative samples from global honey bee populations. Cooperator and ARS PI will use funds to secure target samples from 20-30 honey bee subspecies and coordinate logistic support for samples to be remitted and processed as in collaboration with established ARS Pollinator research initiative. Cooperator and ARS PI will also use funds to develop and coordinate an external academic collaborator network that incorporates international and national expertise focused on utilizing resulting data and develop training in the use of the reference pangenome. Furthermore, the collaborating network will aim to achieve the secondary objective of providing robust genetic characterization of global honey bee populations.
Approach:
The Cooperator and ARS PI will establish a collaborator network that includes academic and ARS researchers Funds will be issued primarily to facilitate procurement of samples identified or collected through the collaborator network. Samples procured in this way will be remitted to ARS PI and collaborating ARS researchers through separate, but associated Material Transfer Agreement. The ARS PI and collaborating ARS researchers will then provide resulting sequences and, when complete, pangenome graph assembly to the Cooperator and also disseminate to the collaborating network. Sub-awards may be issued for specific consultation or expertise in sequencing or computational biology as the project develops.
