Mar 28 2008
The whole DNA sequence of the red flour beetle, familiar to many as an unwelcome visitor to the kitchen flour jar, has been published in Nature.
An international consortium of researchers, including Dr Andrew Jones and Professor David Sattelle from the Medical Research Council Functional Genetics Unit at the University of Oxford, sequenced the beetle genome.
The MRC scientists searched the genome for families of ‘molecular switch' proteins, those that bring about rapid signalling at junctions between nerve cells.
Tribolium castaneum, the red flour beetle
Comparisons between different organisms offer insights into how these molecular switches work. Knowledge of subtle differences in switch function might help scientists to pin down sites of drug action and this in turn could have an impact on design of human drugs.
Commenting on why the red flour beetle genome is important Professor David Sattelle said:
‘‘Work on simple invertebrate animals has paved the way, not only for modern genetics, but also for the new field of genomics. This particular beetle has been studied for many years by biologists interested in how organisms develop and fascinatingly, important genes controlling development are shared by humans and the simplest animals. So, it is important for the benefits it will bring to developmental biology.''
The contents of an organism's genome reflect how it lives its life; in the genome of this beetle the researchers found many receptor molecules and hormones associated with life in an extremely dry environment.
Reflecting on the discovery Professor Sattelle said:
‘‘Charles Darwin harboured a passion for beetles and now nearly 200 years later his insights into evolution by natural selection have been used to understand the DNA of the red flour beetle. The consortium has applied Darwin's evolutionary principles to highlight a fascinating expansion in the beetle's repertoire of certain proteins, notably hormones and receptors involved in its adaptations to dry, chemically-diverse environments.''
He concluded that:
“This project shows how international co-operation can accelerate discovery and how work on the signalling molecules of simple nervous systems can inform our studies of the human brain. Our understanding of the evolution of ‘molecular switch' molecules which are important human drug targets has been enhanced by this work.''
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