Abstract Dramatic improvements in DNA sequencing technologies have led to a more than 1,000-fold reduction in sequencing costs over the past five years. Genome-wide research approaches can thus now be applied beyond medically relevant questions to examine the molecular-genetic basis of behavior, development and unique life histories in almost any organism. A first step for an emerging model organism is usually establishing a reference genome sequence. I offer insight gained from the fire ant genome project. First, I detail how the project came to be and how sequencing, assembly and annotation strategies were chosen. Subsequently, I describe some of the issues linked to working with data from recently sequenced genomes. Finally, I discuss an approach undertaken in a follow-up project based on the fire ant genome sequence.
摘要 近五年DNA定序技術的進展已使得定序成本比過去減少1,000倍以上。因此全基因體研究的方法不僅應用於解決醫學相關問題，也能進一步探討大部分生物的基礎生物學，包括以分子遺傳為主之行為模式、發育及獨特之活史。以新興模式生物為例，首要步驟即為建立參考基因組序列。本文將提供以火蟻基因體定序計畫所得之啟發。首先，詳述此計畫的緣由，並介紹如何選擇基因體解序、組裝和基因體註解的策略。接著說明如何將火蟻基因體資料與近來被解序之物種作結合。最後，討論以火蟻基因體序列為基礎，進行後續研究計畫的方法。
| Key words: genome assembly, how-to, genome annotation, fire ant, Solenopsis invicta | | 關鍵詞: 基因體組裝、指引、基因體註解、火蟻、入侵紅火蟻。 |
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