Undergoing projects

A number of members of the group are already associated with several large-scale genomic projects:

• The annotation of the Bombyx mori genome (Montpellier, Sophia);
• The provision of clones (Sophia) to complete decrypting of the Helicoverpa genome (Australian-American consortium that has plans for multi-species sequencing);
• The participation (Muséum Paris) in the international consortium for the Heliconius melpomene genome (also planned to be extended to other genomes of the Heliconius genus)
• The creation of an international consortium with French leadership (Montpellier, Sophia, Versailles, Rennes) for the sequencing of Spodoptera frugiperda (Genoscope project agreed for 2011).

Furthermore, research labs have developed transcriptome and proteome explorations in several species of parasitoid Lepidoptera (Spodoptera, Ostrinia, Thaumetopoea, Sesamia, etc.) and Hymenoptera (Hyposoter, Macrocentrus, Cotesia etc.).

These projects, along with the merging of skills among the various network members, will have major beneficial consequences for all participants:

• At a scientific level by (i) helping to build bridges in the bioinformatics field, (ii) improving the identification of the large number of genes of unknown function, (iii) clarifying the role of the particular structure of the holocentric genomes, (iv) exploring new paths in order to understand the adaptive capacities of this order of insects, and (v) better targeting the search for auxiliaries;
• In terms of international recognition, by improving the visibility and accessibility of the French research effort.