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Unique features of a global human ectoparasite identified through sequencing of the bed bug genome.

Summary
Publication Type
Journal Article
Abstract

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has re-established itself as a ubiquitous human ectoparasite throughout much of the world during the past two decades. This global resurgence is likely linked to increased international travel and commerce in addition to widespread insecticide resistance. Analyses of the C. lectularius sequenced genome (650 Mb) and 14,220 predicted protein-coding genes provide a comprehensive representation of genes that are linked to traumatic insemination, a reduced chemosensory repertoire of genes related to obligate hematophagy, host-symbiont interactions, and several mechanisms of insecticide resistance. In addition, we document the presence of multiple putative lateral gene transfer events. Genome sequencing and annotation establish a solid foundation for future research on mechanisms of insecticide resistance, human-bed bug and symbiont-bed bug associations, and unique features of bed bug biology that contribute to the unprecedented success of C. lectularius as a human ectoparasite.

Citation
Benoit JB, Adelman ZN, Reinhardt K, Dolan A, Poelchau M, Jennings EC, Szuter EM, Hagan RW, Gujar H, Shukla JN, Zhu F, Mohan M, Nelson DR, Rosendale AJ, Derst C, Resnik V, Wernig S, Menegazzi P, Wegener C, Peschel N, Hendershot JM, Blenau W, Predel R, Johnston PR, Ioannidis P, Waterhouse RM, Nauen R, Schorn C, Ott MC, Maiwald F, Johnston JS, Gondhalekar AD, Scharf ME, Peterson BF, Raje KR, Hottel BA, Armisén D, Crumière AJJ, Refki PN, Santos ME, Sghaier E, Viala S, Khila A, Ahn SJ, Childers C, Lee CY, Lin H, Hughes DST, Duncan EJ, Murali SC, Qu J, Dugan S, Lee SL, Chao H, Dinh H, Han Y, Doddapaneni H, Worley KC, Muzny DM, Wheeler D, Panfilio KA, Vargas Jentzsch IM, Vargo EL, Booth W, Friedrich M, Weirauch MT, Anderson MAE, Jones JW, Mittapalli O, Zhao C, Zhou JJ, Evans JD, Attardo GM, Robertson HM, Zdobnov EM, Ribeiro JMC, Gibbs RA, Werren JH, Palli SR, Schal C, Richards S. Unique features of a global human ectoparasite identified through sequencing of the bed bug genome.. Nature communications. 2016 Feb 02; 7:10165.
Publication Date
2016 Feb 02
DOI
10.1038/ncomms10165
Cross Reference
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