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Abstract

Tribolium castaneum is a member of the most species-rich eukaryotic order, a powerful model organism for the study of
generalized insect development, and an important pest of stored agricultural products. We describe its genome sequence
here. This omnivorous beetle has evolved the ability to interact with a diverse chemical environment, as shown by large
expansions in odorant and gustatory receptors, as well as P450 and other detoxification enzymes. Development in Tribolium
is more representative of other insects than is Drosophila, a fact reflected in gene content and function. For example,
Tribolium has retained more ancestral genes involved in cell–cell communication than Drosophila, some being expressed in
the growth zone crucial for axial elongation in short-germ development. SystemicRNA interference in T. castaneum functions
differently from that in Caenorhabditis elegans, but nevertheless offers similar power for the elucidation of gene function and
identification of targets for selective insect control.