Breakthroughs in Fruit Fly Genomic Sequencing

Advancements in Fruit Fly Genome Sequencing

To address this, researchers sequenced the genomes of 179 fly species in the Drosophilidae family, including wild-caught flies, preserved museum specimens, and laboratory-reared strains. Using a hybrid sequencing approach that combines the newest short- and long-read sequencing technologies, they were able to produce low-cost, high-quality genome sequences from limited material. They used the new genome sequences and previously published data to produce a phylogenetic tree for 360 species in the Drosophilidae family, refining our understanding of the evolutionary relationships of these species. They also aligned nearly 300 fruit fly genomes as an open-source tool for future comparative genomics research, such as a whole-genome alignment.

Co-author James Hemker conducts sweep net sampling in Redwoods State and National Park, California, USA. Credit: Bernard Y. Kim (CC-BY 4.0)

While large-scale sequencing efforts for larger organisms such as mammals are well underway, this study demonstrates that genome sequencing for small organisms such as individual flies — even those preserved in museums for up to two decades — is now possible.

The authors add, “It is now entirely feasible to think about assembling genomes for hundreds or thousands of species, even on the research budget of a single lab. This kind of large-scale, clade-level sampling will provide us with an unprecedented level of resolution for studying the genome sequences of diverse groups like fruit flies and beyond, which is sure to improve our understanding of the evolutionary process.”

Reference: 18 July 2024, PLOS Biology.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002697