Ceratitis capitata

The medfly has been an established lab organism for several decades, and is notable as being the closest non-drosophilid relative to Drosophila subject to genetic analysis, with broad chromosomal syntenic relationships established. It is also one of the most important agricultural pests worldwide due to its broad plant host range throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions.

Genetic studies have been driven by efforts to use genetic manipulation to improve the sterile insect technique which is used to control medfly and several other tephritid species through multi-tactical integrated pest management approaches. It was among the first non-drosophilid insects to have a polytene chromosomal genetic map created, having ~30 cloned genes mapped by in situ hybridization. It was also the first to have its germ-line efficiently transformed by a transposon-based vector system. It is now a model system for genetic manipulation in non-drosophilids, including functional genomics analysis, new vector systems for transgene stabilization, genomic targeting, and transgenic strains created for population control.

Data were generated as part of the Baylor College of Medicine's i5k pilot project.

Please cite the following publication when using this dataset:
Papanicolaou, Alexie, et al. "The whole genome sequence of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), reveals insights into the biology and adaptive evolution of a highly invasive pest species." Genome Biology 17.1 (2016): 192.