Wasp genome map could aid pest control

A new genetic map of parasitic wasp species could open up avenues for insect pest control and reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.

Aust National University: http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=1882

Research School of Biology at ANU

The Research School contributed to work on genes coding for a DNA methylation toolkit and an important gene family encoding Yellow-like proteins.

“This is the first time that DNA methylation has been shown to work in a non-social insect,” Professor Maleszka says. “This is where environmental factors alter gene activity without affecting the DNA. By understanding more about how methylation works in a relatively simple creature like Nasonia wasps, we can learn more about how it works in humans, where the process is turning out to be important in a range of conditions such as cancer, obesity and mental illness.”