title: Genome sequencing and comparative genomics of honey bee microsporidia, Nosema apis reveal novel insights into host-parasite interactions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The microsporidia parasite Nosema contributes to the steep global decline of honey bees that are critical pollinators of food crops. There are two species of Nosema that have been found to infect honey bees, Nosema apis and N. ceranae. Genome sequencing of N. apis and comparative genome analysis with N. ceranae, a fully sequenced microsporidia species, reveal novel insights into host-parasite interactions underlying the parasite infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We applied the whole-genome shotgun sequencing approach to sequence and assemble the genome of N. apis which has an estimated size of 8.5 Mbp. We predicted 2,771 protein- coding genes and predicted the function of each putative protein using the Gene Ontology. The comparative genomic analysis led to identification of 1,356 orthologs that are conserved between the two Nosema species and genes that are unique characteristics of the individual species, thereby providing a list of virulence factors and new genetic tools for studying host-parasite interactions. We also identified a highly abundant motif in the upstream promoter regions of N. apis genes. This motif is also conserved in N. ceranae and other microsporidia species and likely plays a role in gene regulation across the microsporidia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The availability of the N. apis genome sequence is a significant addition to the rapidly expanding body of microsprodian genomic data which has been improving our understanding of eukaryotic genome diversity and evolution in a broad sense. The predicted virulent genes and transcriptional regulatory elements are potential targets for innovative therapeutics to break down the life cycle of the parasite.
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. judy.chen@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Yan ping
authors.initials: Yp
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jeffery S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pettis
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xinyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Luke J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tallon
authors.forename: Lisa D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Sadzewicz
authors.forename: Renhua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Huoqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Shaokang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Michele C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Pernal
authors.forename: Andony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Melathopoulos
authors.forename: Xianghe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D023281:Genomics; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D016818:Nosema / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins