Genome Sequence of the Tsetse Fly (
Glossina morsitans
): Vector of African Trypanosomiasis
Authors:   International Glossina Genome Initiative, Attardo Geoffrey M. , Abila Patrick P. , Auma Joanna E. , Baumann Aaron A. , Benoit Joshua B. , Brelsfoard Corey L. , Ribeiro José M. C. , Cotton James A. , Pham Daphne Q. D. , Darby Alistair C. , Van Den Abbeele Jan , Denlinger David L. , Field Linda M. , Nyanjom Steven R. G. , Gaunt Michael W. , Geiser Dawn L. , Gomulski Ludvik M. , Haines Lee R. , Hansen Immo A. , Jones Jeffery W. , Kibet Caleb K. , Kinyua Johnson K. , Larkin Denis M. , Lehane Michael J. , Rio Rita V. M. , Macdonald Sandy J. , Macharia Rosaline W. , Malacrida Anna R. , Marco Heather G. , Marucha Kevin K. , Masiga Daniel K. , Meuti Megan E. , Mireji Paul O. , Obiero George F. O. , Koekemoer Jacobus J. O. , Okoro Chinyere K. , Omedo Irene A. , Osamor Victor C. , Balyeidhusa Apollo S. P. , Peyton Justin T. , Price David P. , Quail Michael A. , Ramphul Urvashi N. , Rawlings Neil D. , Riehle Michael A. , Robertson Hugh M. , Sanders Mandy J. , Scott Maxwell J. , Dashti Zahra Jalali Sefid , Snyder Anna K. , Srivastava Tulika P. , Stanley Eleanor J. , Swain Martin T. , Hughes Daniel S. T. , Tarone Aaron M. , Taylor Todd D. , Telleria Erich L. , Thomas Gavin H. , Walshe Deirdre P. , Wilson Richard K. , Winzerling Joy J. , Acosta-Serrano Alvaro , Aksoy Serap , Arensburger Peter , Aslett Martin , Bateta Rosemary , Benkahla Alia , Berriman Matthew , Bourtzis Kostas , Caers Jelle , Caljon Guy , Christoffels Alan , Falchetto Marco , Friedrich Markus , Fu Shuhua , Gäde Gerd , Githinji George , Gregory Richard , Hall Neil , Harkins Gordon , Hattori Masahira , Hertz-Fowler Christiane , Hide Winston , Hu Wanqi , Imanishi Tadashi , Inoue Noboru , Jonas Mario , Kawahara Yoshihiro , Koffi Mathurin , Kruger Adele , Lawson Daniel , Lehane Stella , Lehväslaiho Heikki , Luiz Thiago , Makgamathe Mmule , Malele Imna , Manangwa Oliver , Manga Lucien , Megy Karyn , Michalkova Veronika , Mpondo Feziwe , Mramba Furaha , Msangi Atway , Mulder Nicola , Murilla Grace , Mwangi Sarah , Okedi Loyce , Ommeh Sheila , Ooi Cher-Pheng , Ouma Johnson , Panji Sumir , Ravel Sophie , Rose Clair , Sakate Ryuichi , Schoofs Liliane , Scolari Francesca , Sharma Vineet , Sim Cheolho , Siwo Geoffrey , Solano Philippe , Stephens Dawn , Suzuki Yutaka , Sze Sing-Hoi , Touré Yeya , Toyoda Atsushi , Tsiamis George , Tu Zhijian , Wamalwa Mark , Wamwiri Florence , Wang Jingwen , Warren Wesley , Watanabe Junichi , Weiss Brian , Willis Judith , Wincker Patrick , Zhang Qirui , Zhou Jing-Jiang 
Published: April 2014

Africa's Bane

Tsetse are blood-feeding, fast-flying flies that transmit a range of
Trypanosoma
spp. protozoan pathogens, which cause sleeping sickness in humans and their nagana in their livestock. The

International
Glossina
Genome Initiative

(p.
380
) sequenced the genome of
Glossina morsitans
and identified the genes for many attributes of the tsetse's remarkable biology, including viviparity and the expression of analogs of mammalian milk proteins. Tsetse are host to several specific symbionts that appear to synthesize essential nutrients for the fly and also to hitherto undiscovered parasitoid-derived viruses. Deeper exploration of this genome will reveal what makes these fly species so host- and trypanosome specific.