<p><b><span style="font-size: medium">

</span></b><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="contributors"><ol id="contrib-group-1" class="contributor-list" jquery1296630888975="61"> <li id="contrib-1" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a classstyle="namefont-search" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Christopher+D.+Smith&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submitmedium">Christopher D. Smith</a></span><a id="xref-aff-1-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="63" href="httpAbstract://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-1">^a</a><span class="xref-sep">,</span><a id="xref-corresp-1-1" class="xref-corresp" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#corresp-1">¹</a>,</lip> <li p id="contrib-2" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Aleksey+Zimin&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Aleksey Zimin</a></span><a id="xref-aff-3-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="64" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-3">^b</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-3" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Carson+Holt&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Carson Holt</a></span><a id="xref-aff-5-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="65" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-5">^c</a>,</li> <li id="contribp-4" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Ehab+Abouheif&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Ehab Abouheif</a></span><a id="xref-aff-6-1" classstyle="xreffont-aff" jquery1296630888975="66" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-6medium">^d</a>Ants are some of the most abundant and familiar animals on Earth,</li> <li id="contrib-5" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnasand they play vital roles in most terrestrial ecosystems.org/search?author1=Richard+Benton&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Richard Benton</a></span><a id="xref-aff-7-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="67" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-7">^e</a>,</lip> <li id="contrib-6" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Elizabeth+Cash&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Elizabeth Cash</ap></span><a id="xref-aff-8-1" classstyle="xreffont-aff" jquery1296630888975="68" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-8medium">^f</a>Although all ants are eusocial,</li> <li id="contrib-7" class="contributor"><span class="name"><and display a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Vincent+Croset&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Vincent Croset</a></span><a id="xref-aff-7-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="69" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-7">^e</a>variety of complex and fascinating behaviors,</li> <li id="contrib-8" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Cameron+R.+Currie&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Cameron Rfew genomic resources exist for them. Currie</a></span><a id="xref-aff-9-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="70" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-9">^g</a><span class="xref-sep">,</span><a id="xref-aff-10-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="71" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-10">^h</a>,</lip> <li id="contrib-9" class="contributor"p><span class="name"><a classstyle="namefont-search" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Eran+Elhaik&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submitmedium">Eran Elhaik</a></span><a id="xref-aff-11-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="72" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-11">ⁱ</a>Here,</li> <li id="contrib-10" class="contributor"><span class="name"><we report the draft genome sequence of a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Christine+G.+Elsik&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Christine G. Elsik</a></span><a id="xref-aff-12-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="73" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#affparticularly widespread and well-12">^j</a>studied species,the invasive Argentine ant (</li> <li id="contrib-11" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Marie-Julie+Fave&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit"em>Marie-Julie FaveLinepithema humile</a></span><a id="xref-aff-6-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="74" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-6">^d</aem>),</li> <li id="contrib-12" class="contributor"><span class="name"><which was accomplished using a class="namecombination of 454 (Roche) and Illumina sequencing and community-search" href="http://wwwbased funding rather than federal grant support.pnas.org/search?author1=Vilaiwan+Fernandes&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Vilaiwan Fernandes</a></span><a id="xref-aff-6-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="75" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-6">^d</a>,</lip> <li id="contrib-13" class="contributor"p><span class="name"><a classstyle="namefont-search" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/search?author1=J%C3%BCrgen+Gadau&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submitmedium">J&uuml;rgen Gadau</a></span><a id="xref-aff-8-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="76" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-8">^f</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-14" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Joshua+D.+Gibson&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Joshua D. Gibson</a></span><a id="xref-aff-8-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="77" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-8">^f</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-15" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Dan+Graur&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Dan Graur</a></span><a id="xref-aff-13-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="78" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-13">^k</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-16" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Kirk+J.+Grubbs&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Kirk J. Grubbs</a></span><a id="xref-aff-8-4" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="79" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-8">^f</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-17" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Darren+E.+Hagen&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Darren E. Hagen</a></span><a id="xref-aff-12-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="80" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-12">^j</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-18" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Martin+Helmkampf&amp;sortspec=dateManual annotation of &ampgt;submit=Submit">Martin Helmkampf</a></span><a id="xref-aff-8-5" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="81" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-8">^f</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-19" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Jo-Anne+Holley&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Jo-Anne Holley</a></span><a id="xref-aff-14-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="82" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14">^l</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-20" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Hao+Hu&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Hao Hu</a></span><a id="xref-aff-5-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="83" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-5">^c</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-21" class="contributor"><span class="name"><000 genes from a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Ana+Sofia+Ibarraran+Viniegra&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Ana Sofia Ibarraran Viniegra</a></span><a id="xref-aff-6-4" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="84" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-6">^d</a>variety of different gene families and functional classes reveals unique features of the Argentine ant's biology,as well as similarities to </li> <li id="contrib-22" class="contributor"><span class="name"em>Apis mellifera<a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Brian+R.+Johnson&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit"em>Brian R. Johnsonand </aem>Nasonia vitripennis</spanem><a id="xref-aff-16-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="85" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-16">^m</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-23" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Reed+M.+Johnson&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Reed M. Johnson</a></span><a id="xref-aff-14-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="86" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14">^l</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-24" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Abderrahman+Khila&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Abderrahman Khila</a></span><a id="xref-aff-6-5" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="87" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-6">^d</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-25" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Jay+W.+Kim&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Jay W. Kim</a></span><a id="xref-aff-1-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="88" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-1">^a</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-26" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Joseph+Laird&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Joseph Laird</a></span><a id="xref-aff-14-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="89" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14">^l</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-27" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Kaitlyn+A.+Mathis&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Kaitlyn A. Mathis</a></span><a id="xref-aff-16-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="90" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-16">^m</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-28" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Joseph+A.+Moeller&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Joseph A. Moeller</a></span><a id="xref-aff-9-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="91" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-9">^g</a><span class="xref-sep">,</span><a id="xref-aff-10-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="92" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-10">^h</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-29" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Monica+C.+Mu%C3%B1oz-Torres&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Monica C. Mu&ntilde;oz-Torres</a></span><a id="xref-aff-12-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="93" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-12">^j</a>,</lip> <li id="contrib-30" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Marguerite+C.+Murphy&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Marguerite C. Murphy</a></span><a id="xref-aff-2-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="94" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-2">ⁿ</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-31" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Rin+Nakamura&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Rin Nakamura</a></span><a id="xref-aff-1-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="95" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-1">^a</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-32" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Surabhi+Nigam&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Surabhi Nigam</a></span><a id="xref-aff-2-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="96" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-2">ⁿ</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-33" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Rick+P.+Overson&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Rick P. Overson</a></span><a id="xref-aff-8-6" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="97" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-8">^f</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-34" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Jennifer+E.+Placek&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Jennifer E. Placek</a></span><a id="xref-aff-1-4" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="98" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-1">^a</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-35" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Rajendhran+Rajakumar&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Rajendhran Rajakumar</a></span><a id="xref-aff-6-6" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="99" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-6">^d</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-36" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Justin+T.+Reese&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Justin T. Reese</a></span><a id="xref-aff-12-4" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="100" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-12">^j</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-37" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Hugh+M.+Robertson&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Hugh M. Robertson</a></span><a id="xref-aff-14-4" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="101" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14">^l</a><span class="xref-sep">,</span><a id="xref-aff-15-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="102" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-15">^o</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-38" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Chris+R.+Smith&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Chris R. Smith</a></span><a id="xref-aff-17-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="103" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-17">^p</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-39" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a classstyle="namefont-search" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Andrew+V.+Suarez&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Andrew V. Suarez</a></span><a id="xref-aff-14-5" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="104" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14">^l</a><span class="xref-sepmedium">Distinctive features of the Argentine ant genome include remarkable expansions of gustatory (116 genes) and odorant receptors (367 genes),</span><a id="xref-aff-15-2" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="105" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-15">^o</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-40" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Garret+Suen&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Garret Suen</a></span><a id="xref-aff-9-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="106" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-9">^g</a><span class="xref-sep">,</span><a id="xref-aff-10-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="107" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-10">^h</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-41" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Elissa+L.+Suhr&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Elissa L. Suhr</a></span><a id="xref-aff-14-6" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="108" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14">^l</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-42" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Shu+Tao&amp;sortspec=datean abundance of cytochrome P450 genes (&ampgt;submit=Submit">Shu Tao</a></span><a id="xref-aff-12-5" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="109" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-12">^j</a>,</li> <li id="contrib-43" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Candice+W.+Torres&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Candice W. Torres</a></span><a id="xref-aff-16-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="110" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-16">^m</a>),</li> <li id="contriblineage-44" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http:specific expansions of yellow//www.pnas.org/search?author1=Ellen+van+Wilgenburg&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Ellen van Wilgenburg</a></span><a id="xref-aff-16-4" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="111" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-16">^m</a>major royal jelly proteins and desaturases,</li> <li id="contrib-45" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://wwwand complete CpG DNA methylation and RNAi toolkits.pnas.org/search?author1=Lumi+Viljakainen&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Lumi Viljakainen</a></span><a id="xref-aff-18-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="112" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-18">^q</a>,</lip> <li id="contrib-46" class="contributor"p><span class="name"><a classstyle="namefont-search" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Kimberly+K.+O.+Walden&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submitmedium">Kimberly K. O. WaldenThe Argentine ant genome contains fewer immune genes than </aem>Drosophila</spanem>and <a id="xref-aff-14-7" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="113" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14"><sup>l</supem>Tribolium</aem>,</li> <li id="contrib-47" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Alexander+L.+Wild&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Alexander Lwhich may reflect the prominent role played by behavioral and chemical suppression of pathogens. Wild</a></span><a id="xref-aff-14-8" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="114" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-14">^l</a>,</lip> <li id="contrib-48" class="contributor"p><span class="name"><a classstyle="namefont-search" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Mark+Yandell&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submitmedium">Mark Yandell</a>Analysis of the ratio of observed to expected CpG nucleotides for genes in the reproductive development and apoptosis pathways suggests </span><a id="xref-aff-5-3" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="115" hrefstyle="httpcolor://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-5993300">^chigher levels of methylation than </a>,</li> <li id="contrib-49" class="contributor"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=James+A.+Yorke&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">James Ain the genome overall. Yorke</a></span><a id="xref-aff-4-1" class="xref-aff" jquery1296630888975="116" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-4">^r</a>, and</lip> <li id="contrib-50" class="last"><span class="name"><a class="name-search" href="http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Neil+D.+Tsutsui&amp;sortspec=date&amp;submit=Submit">Neil D. Tsutsui</ap></span><a id="xref-aff-16-5" classstyle="xreffont-aff" jquery1296630888975="117" href="httpsize://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#aff-16">^m</a><span class="xref-sep">,</span><a id="xref-corresp-1-2" class="xref-corresp" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#corresp-1">¹</a></li></ol><p class="affiliation-list-reveal"><a class="view-more" jquery1296630888975="62" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#">+</a> Author Affiliations</p><ol class="affiliation-list hideaffil" jquery1296630888975="60"> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-1" name="aff-1"></a> <address>Departments of ^aBiology and</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-2" name="aff-2medium"></a> <address>ⁿComputer Science, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-3" name="aff-3"></a> <address>^bInstitute for Physical Science and Technology and</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-4" name="aff-4"></a> <address>^rDepartment of Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-5" name="aff-5"></a> <address>^cDepartment of Human Genetics, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-6" name="aff-6"></a> <address>^dDepartment of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1B1;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-7" name="aff-7"></a> <address>^eCenter for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-8" name="aff-8"></a> <address>^fSchool of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-9" name="aff-9"></a> <address>^gDepartment of Bacteriology and</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-10" name="aff-10"></a> <address>^hDepartment of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-11" name="aff-11"></a> <address>ⁱThe Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-12" name="aff-12"></a> <address>^jDepartment of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-13" name="aff-13"></a> <address>^kDepartment of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-14" name="aff-14"></a> <address>^lDepartment of Entomology and</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-15" name="aff-15"></a> <address>^oInstitute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana&ndash;Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-16" name="aff-16"></a> <address>^mDepartment of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114;</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-17" name="aff-17"></a> <address>^pDepartment of Biology, Earlham College, Richmond, IN 47374; and</address> </li> <li class="aff"><a id="aff-18" name="aff-18"></a> <address>^qDepartment of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853</address> </li></ol><ol class="fn-track"> <li id="fn-1" class="fn-edited-resources provided by"> <p id="p-1">Edited<a id="xref-fn-4-1" class="xref-fn" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.abstract#fn-4">*</a> by Gene E. Robinson, University this genome sequence will offer an abundance of Illinois, Urbana, IL, and approved January 11, 2011 (received tools for review June 17, 2010)</p> </li></ol></div><div id="abstract-1" class="section abstract"><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.full.pdf+html">http://wwwresearchers seeking to illuminate the fascinating biology of this emerging model organism.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/26/1008617108.full.pdf+html</aspan></p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>

<p>Abstract:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p id="p-4"><span style="font-size: small">Ants are some of the most abundant and familiar animals on Earth, and they play vital roles in most terrestrial ecosystems. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small">Although all ants are eusocial, and display a variety of complex and fascinating behaviors, few genomic resources exist for them. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small">Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a particularly widespread and well-studied species, the invasive Argentine ant (<em>Linepithema humile</em>), which was accomplished using a combination of 454 (Roche) and Illumina sequencing and community-based funding rather than federal grant support. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small">Manual annotation of &gt;1,000 genes from a variety of different gene families and functional classes reveals unique features of the Argentine ant's biology, as well as similarities to <em>Apis mellifera</em> and <em>Nasonia vitripennis</em>. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small">Distinctive features of the Argentine ant genome include remarkable expansions of gustatory (116 genes) and odorant receptors (367 genes), an abundance of cytochrome P450 genes (&gt;110), lineage-specific expansions of yellow/major royal jelly proteins and desaturases, and complete CpG DNA methylation and RNAi toolkits. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small">The Argentine ant genome contains fewer immune genes than <em>Drosophila</em> and <em>Tribolium</em>, which may reflect the prominent role played by behavioral and chemical suppression of pathogens. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small">Analysis of the ratio of observed to expected CpG nucleotides for genes in the reproductive development and apoptosis pathways suggests <span style="color: #993300">higher levels of methylation than </span>in the genome overall. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small">The resources provided by this genome sequence will offer an abundance of tools for researchers seeking to illuminate the fascinating biology of this emerging model organism.</span></pbr>