Genome assembly and geospatial phylogenomics of the bed bug Cimex lectularius

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2016 papers

Abstract

The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) has been a persistent pest of humans for thousands of years, yet the genetic basis of the bed bug's basic biology and adaptation to dense human environments is largely unknown. Here we report the assembly, annotation and phylogenetic mapping of the 697.9-Mb Cimex lectularius genome, with an N50 of 971 kb, using both long and short read technologies. A RNA-seq time course across all five developmental stages and male and female adults generated 36,985 coding and noncoding gene models. The most pronounced change in gene expression during the life cycle occurs after feeding on human blood and included genes from the Wolbachia endosymbiont, which shows a simultaneous and coordinated host/commensal response to haematophagous activity. These data provide a rich genetic resource for mapping activity and density of C. lectularius across human hosts and cities, which can help track, manage and control bed bug infestations.

Related Papers

• → The ecology of the bed-bug,Cimex lectulariusL., in Britain(1941)122 cited
• → A bioassay for studying behavioural responses of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) to bed bug-derived volatiles(2010)51 cited
• → Rapid killing of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) on surfaces using heat: application to luggage(2016)21 cited
• → BEDBUGS (BED BUGS): THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE(2018)2 cited
• → Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius): Biology and their Role as Pests to Humans(2014)