Bioinformatics and Next Generation Sequencing: Applications of Arthropod Genomes

Over the past decade, the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology has been broadly applied in many areas such as genomics, medical diagnosis, biotechnology, virology, biological systematics, forensic biology, and anthropology. Taken together, it has offered us brilliant insights into life sciences. Most of the work presented in this thesis describes NGS applications on genome assembly, genome annotation, and comparative genomics, using arthropods as case studies: (1) by sequencing and analyzing the genomes of three Tetranychus spider mites with three completely different feeding behaviors, we uncovered genomic signature variations and indicative of pest adaptations; (2) we sequenced, assembled and annotated five Brevipalpus flat mite genomes and their corresponding endosymbiont Cardinium genomes. Comparative genomics reveals herbivorous pest adaptations and parthenogenesis; (3) the complete genomic analysis of parasitoid wasp Copidosoma floridanum indicates the mechanism of polyembryony of such primary parasite of moths. By bioinformatics and genomics approaches, my study provides the genomic basis and establishes the hypotheses for the future biology in pest and arthropod researches. These NGS applications of arthropod genomes will offer new insights into arthropod evolution and plant-herbivore interactions, open unique opportunities to develop novel plant protection strategies, and additionally, provide arthropod genomic resources as well.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph D

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Zhang, Zaichao

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Miodrag Grbic
• Yves Van de Peer (Ghent University)

• Bioinformatics
• NGS
• genomics
• Tetranychus
• Brevipalpus
• Copidosoma

Language dc:language.iso

en_ca

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/27594

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/27594