Chromosome-level genome assemblies of two parasitoid biocontrol wasps reveal the parthenogenesis mechanism and an associated novel virus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Biocontrol is a key technology for the control of pest species. Microctonus parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) have been released in Aotearoa New Zealand as biocontrol agents, targeting three different pest weevil species. Despite their value as biocontrol agents, no genome assemblies are currently available for these Microctonus wasps, limiting investigations into key biological differences between the different species and strains.

Methods and findings

Here we present high-quality genomes for Microctonus hyperodae and Microctonus aethiopoides, assembled with short read sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding. These assemblies have total lengths of 106.7 Mb for M. hyperodae and 129.2 Mb for M. aethiopoides, with scaffold N50 values of 9 Mb and 23 Mb respectively.

SUBMITTER: Inwood SN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10403939 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature