Antonospora locustae HM-2013 Genome sequencing. Antonospora locustae HM-2013

Members of the phylum Microsporidia are highly successful, obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasites with remarkably small genomes of 2.3-20 megabases (MB). They infect nearly all the invertebrate phyla, most commonly arthropods, and all five classes of vertebrates. In agricultural settings, some microsporidial species serve as biological control agents of pests, including Antonospora locustae (Nolo Bait) while others are significant pathogens of beneficial insects. They are most prevalent in Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera. Microsporidial species with predictable host ranges are attractive candidates for biological control. Knowing the molecular determinants of invasion, pathogenesis, and transmission will identify targets for the control of insect pests or for the prevention and treatment of microsporidal infections in beneficial insects.