Genomics and Cytogenetics of Insects

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Technologies and Resources for Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2024) | Viewed by 741

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of General Biology, Universidade Federal de Vicosa, Vicosa, Brazil
Interests: insects; chromosomes; cytogenomics; evolution and phylogeny
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Guest Editor
Binacional Campus Oiapoque, Federal University of Amapá, Oiapoque, Brazil
Interests: ants; chromosomes; cytogenomics; evolution and phylogeny

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Guest Editor
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
Interests: bees; B chromosomes; cytogenomics; evolution and phylogeny

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Insects are a remarkable group of organisms due to their species richness (more than a million described) and the diversity of their modes of reproduction, sex determination, nesting, feeding habits, and interactions with other species of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. They have a great ecological impact as they play essential ecosystem roles, in addition to some species being global invaders, and pose economic significance due to their activities as agricultural and urban pests, alongside medical importance as some species are disease vectors. A wide chromosomal diversity is observed through classical cytogenetics, with chromosome numbers varying from n = 1 to more than 200. The emergence of new methodologies, mainly the fluorescent in situ hybridization technique, has marked the beginning of a new era—molecular cytogenetics. This advancement has allowed more refined analyzes of chromosomes, clarifying longstanding questions unresolved with classical cytogenetics. Currently, in the era of cytogenomics, the use of an integrative approach with genomics, chromosomal data, and bioinformatics tools has provided more resolute analyzes of numerical and structural variations in the insect genome. Furthermore, these analyzes have improved understanding of the origin, composition, and evolution of heterochromatin, sex chromosomes, and Bs chromosomes in insect karyotypes. Since its emergence, classical cytogenetics and cytogenomics in insects have been  multidisciplinary tools, strengthening discussions in different areas such as taxonomy, phylogeny, and population diversity.

In this Special Issue, we welcome original paper research and reviews that address historical aspects and new approaches in any field of insect cytogenetics, epigenetics, and cytogenomics.

Great work for all of us!

Dr. Denilce Meneses Lopes
Dr. Gisele Amaro Teixeira
Dr. Marina Souza Da Cunha
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • molecular cytogenetics
  • epigenetics
  • next-generation sequencing (ngs)
  • karyotype evolution
  • insects

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 2525 KiB  
Article
Cytogenomics of Frieseomelitta varia (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the Sharing of a Satellite DNA Family in Several Neotropical Meliponini Genera
by Zulemara B. M. Vignati, Gisele A. Teixeira, Marina S. Cunha, Jaqueline A. Pereira and Denilce M. Lopes
Genes 2025, 16(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16010086 - 15 Jan 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: A striking feature of the karyotypes of stingless bees is the large amount of heterochromatin present in most species. Cytogenomic studies performed in some Meliponini species have suggested that evolutionary events related to the diversification and amplification of satellite DNA families in [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: A striking feature of the karyotypes of stingless bees is the large amount of heterochromatin present in most species. Cytogenomic studies performed in some Meliponini species have suggested that evolutionary events related to the diversification and amplification of satellite DNA families in the heterochromatin may reflect the structuring of phylogenetic clades in this tribe. In this study, we performed a genomic analysis in Frieseomelitta varia to characterize different satDNA families in its genome. We also investigated the presence of the most abundant satDNA family of F. varia in its own chromosomes, in two other Frieseomelitta species, and in other Meliponini genera encompassing the three main clades of Neotropical Meliponini, according to the available molecular phylogeny. Methods: Genomic analyses were performed using RepeatExplorer2 on the Galaxy platform, and chromosomal investigations were conducted using fluorescent in situ hybridization. Results: Seven satDNA families were recovered, which together totaled an abundance of 11.223% of the analyzed F. varia genomic fraction. The most abundant satDNA family, FvarSat01-306, predominates in the analyzed repetitive fraction (representing around 89%) and was recently amplified and homogenized in almost all the heterochromatin of F. varia. In addition, the data revealed an unprecedented sharing of this satDNA family in the centromeric/pericentromeric heterochromatin among different Meliponini genera, with independent amplifications and loss of this sequence in some taxa. Conclusions: One family of satellite DNA makes up most of the heterochromatin in this species and is shared with other Meliponini. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genomics and Cytogenetics of Insects)
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