PHOTO BY GEOFFREY M. ATTARDO
Species: Tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans morsitans)
Genome size: 360 million base pairs
Members of the International Glossina Genome Initiative have reported a genome for the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans morsitans), the sole vectors of trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, throughout sub-Saharan Africa. In their sequence and analysis were published in Science today (April 24), the researchers uncovered 12,308 predicted protein–encoding genes, which they hope will aid in disease prevention and pave the way for a better understanding of G. morsitans morsitans biology.
“This information will be very useful to help develop new tools that could reduce or even eradicate tsetse flies,” John Reeder, director of the Special Programme for Research Training in Tropical Diseases at the World Health Organization, said in a statement.
“Understanding the biology ...
