Genome of the bee Holcopasites calliopsidis-a species showing the common apid trait of brood parasitism.

ABSTRACT: Brood parasites represent a substantial but often poorly studied fraction of the wider diversity of bees. Brood parasitic bees complete their life cycles by infiltrating the nests of solitary host bees thereby enabling their offspring to exploit the food provisions intended for the host's offspring. Here, we present the draft assembly of the bee Holcopasites calliopsidis, the first brood parasitic species to be the subject of detailed genomic analysis. Consistent with previous findings on the genomic signatures of parasitism more broadly, we find that H. calliopsidis has the smallest genome currently known among bees (179 Mb). This small genome does not appear to be the result of purging of repetitive DNA, with some indications of novel repetitive elements which may show signs of recent ex

SUBMITTER: Sless TJL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9339306 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature