De novo genome assembly of Gryllodes sigillatus

Farmed insects have gained attention as an alternative, sustainable source of protein with a lower carbon footprint than traditional livestock. We present a high-quality reference genome for one of the most commonly farmed insects, the banded cricket Gryllodes sigillatus. In addition to its agricultural importance, G. sigillatus is also a model in behavioural and evolutionary ecology research on reproduction and mating systems. We report comparative genomic analyses that clarify the banded cricket's evolutionary history, identify gene family expansions and contractions unique to this lineage, associate these with agriculturally important traits, and identify targets for genome-assisted breeding efforts. The high-quality G. sigillatus genome assembly plus accompanying comparative genomic analyses serve as foundational resources for both applied and basic research on insect farming and behavioural biology, enabling researchers to pinpoint trait-associated genetic variants, unravel functional pathways governing those phenotypes, and accelerate selective breeding efforts to increase the efficacy of large-scale insect farming operations.

养殖昆虫作为可持续的替代性蛋白质来源，其碳足迹显著低于传统畜禽，已受到学界与产业界的广泛关注。本研究针对最常见的养殖昆虫之一——带纹蟋蟀（Gryllodes sigillatus），发布了高质量参考基因组。除具备重要农业应用价值外，带纹蟋蟀同时也是繁殖与交配系统相关行为及进化生态学研究的模式物种。本研究通过比较基因组分析，阐明了带纹蟋蟀的进化历程，鉴定出该演化支特有的基因家族扩张与收缩事件，将这些基因组变化与农业重要性状相关联，并确定了基因组辅助育种的潜在靶点。高质量的带纹蟋蟀基因组组装结果及配套的比较基因组分析，可为昆虫养殖与行为生物学的应用及基础研究提供基础性资源，助力研究人员精准定位性状关联的遗传变异、解析调控这些表型的功能通路，并加快选择性育种进程，以提升规模化昆虫养殖的生产效能。