The prospects for sequencing the western corn rootworm genome

The first complete sequence of an insect genome was reported less than a decade ago (Adams et al. 2000). Fittingly, this was the genome of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, a premier model organism for genetical and molecular studies of biological processes. Since then, the number of insect species for which genome sequencing efforts have been completed or are underway has grown substantially. As well as additional Drosophila species, there has been an emphasis on sequencing the genomes of insects that impact human health as vectors of disease. These include several mosquito species, tsetse fly, sand fly and Rhodnius prolixus, the vector of Chagas’ disease (Robinson et al. 2006). Economically important domesticated insects have not been ignored as the genomes of the silkworm moth, Bombyx mori (Mita et al. 2004; Xia et al. 2004; The International Silkworm Genome Consortium 2008) and the honey bee (Honeybee Genome Sequencing Consortium 2006) both have been sequenced. To date, only one coleopteran genome has been sequenced, that of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Tribolium Genome Sequencing Consortium 2008). The availability of complete genome sequences from four different orders is proving to be an invaluable resource for studying the evolution and fundamental biology of insects. For example, comparative analyses have revealed many genes that were present in the common ancestor of insects and vertebrates but have been lost in the lineage leading to Diptera such as Drosophila and mosquitoes (Honeybee Genome Sequencing Consortium 2006, Tribolium Genome Sequencing Consortium 2008). Tribolium was a natural first choice for a beetle genome to sequence. The species is an important pest of stored grain products. It is also an excellent model species, being easy to maintain in culture and amenable to genetic manipulation, and has a