@article{van nest_swistek_olmstead_de la mota-peynado_ewing_brabec_mitzel_oppert_cohnstaedt_shults_2024, title={Assessing the feasibility, safety, and nutritional quality of using wild-caught pest flies in animal feed}, volume={1}, ISSN={0022-0493 1938-291X}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad239}, DOI={10.1093/jee/toad239}, abstractNote={Abstract Studies have investigated the potential of using farmed insects in animal feeds; however, little research has been done using wild-caught insects for this purpose. Concerns about inadequate quantities collected, environmental impacts, and the spread of pathogens contribute to the preferred utilization of farmed insects. Nevertheless, by harvesting certain pest species from intensified agricultural operations, producers could provide their animals with affordable and sustainable protein sources while also reducing pest populations. This study explores the possibility of collecting large quantities of pest flies from livestock operations and analyzes the flies’ nutritional content, potential pathogen load, and various disinfection methods. Using a newly designed mass collection-trapping device, we collected 5 kg of biomass over 13 wk, primarily house flies, from a poultry facility. While a substantial number of pests were removed from the environment, there was no reduction in the fly population. Short-read sequencing was used to compare the bacterial communities carried by flies from differing source populations, and the bacterial species present in the fly samples varied based on farm type and collection time. Drying and milling the wild-caught flies as well as applying an additional heat treatment significantly reduced the number of culturable bacteria present in or on the flies, though their pathogenicity remains unknown. Importantly, these disinfection methods did not affect the nutritional value of the processed flies. Further research is necessary to fully assess the safety and viability of integrating wild-caught insects into livestock feed; however, these data show promising results in favor of such a system.}, journal={Journal of Economic Entomology}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Van Nest, Kortnee and Swistek, Sabrina E and Olmstead, Morgan L and De La Mota-Peynado, Alina and Ewing, Robert D and Brabec, Daniel and Mitzel, Dana and Oppert, Brenda and Cohnstaedt, Lee W and Shults, Phillip}, editor={Neven, LisaEditor}, year={2024}, month={Jan} }
 @article{leierer_olmstead_oppert_2023, title={Sequencing to identify pathogens in Tenebrio molitor: Implications in insects farmed for food and feed}, volume={3}, ISSN={2673-8600}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2023.1059046}, DOI={10.3389/finsc.2023.1059046}, abstractNote={Introduction The farmed insect industry is increasing in number and size to meet the demand for sustainably-produced protein. Larger insect farms are prone to losses due to pathogens, and more information is needed regarding the health of insects reared for food and feed. Methods In this study, high throughput sequencing was used to identify potential pathogens in a colony of Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm, Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) that exhibited increased mortality in immature stages with eventual colony collapse. Sequences also were obtained from a healthy new colony of T. molitor , as well as a recovered individual from the collapsed colony. Results Screening of sequences obtained from the colonies and their rearing diet indicated that the collapsed colony had low diversity in microbial taxa, with predominantly sequences from the families Staphylococcaeceae and Streptococcaceae constituting from 53 to 88% of the total microbial reads. Conversely, in the new colony and their rearing diet, microbial sequences were from more than 15 different taxa, with Lactobacilleceae the most prevalent but representing only 21% of the total microbial reads. Evidence indicates that Bacillus thuringiensis may have been involved in the collapse of the colony, leading to sepsis and microbial dysbiosis, although the source of the bacteria was not identified. Sequences from the recovered individual reflected a microbial flora profile that was intermediate between those of the diseased collapsed and new colonies. Discussion These findings have implications for insects reared in confined environments and provide a rapid method to screen insect colonies by sequencing healthy and potentially diseased individuals.}, journal={Frontiers in Insect Science}, publisher={Frontiers Media SA}, author={Leierer, Dewey and Olmstead, Morgan and Oppert, Brenda}, year={2023}, month={Jan} }
 @article{oppert_dossey_chu_satovic-vuksic_plohl_smith_koren_olmstead_leierer_ragan_et al._2023, title={The Genome of the Yellow Mealworm, <i>Tenebrio molitor</i>: It's Bigger Than You Think}, volume={14}, ISSN={["2073-4425"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/12/2209}, DOI={10.3390/genes14122209}, abstractNote={Background: Insects are a sustainable source of protein for human food and animal feed. We present a genome assembly, CRISPR gene editing, and life stage-specific transcriptomes for the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, one of the most intensively farmed insects worldwide. Methods: Long and short reads and long-range data were obtained from a T. molitor male pupa. Sequencing transcripts from 12 T. molitor life stages resulted in 279 million reads for gene prediction and genetic engineering. A unique plasmid delivery system containing guide RNAs targeting the eye color gene vermilion flanking the muscle actin gene promoter and EGFP marker was used in CRISPR/Cas9 transformation. Results: The assembly is approximately 53% of the genome size of 756.8 ± 9.6 Mb, measured using flow cytometry. Assembly was complicated by a satellitome of at least 11 highly conserved satDNAs occupying 28% of the genome. The injection of the plasmid into embryos resulted in knock-out of Tm vermilion and knock-in of EGFP. Conclusions: The genome of T. molitor is longer than current assemblies (including ours) due to a substantial amount (26.5%) of only one highly abundant satellite DNA sequence. Genetic sequences and transformation tools for an insect important to the food and feed industries will promote the sustainable utilization of mealworms and other farmed insects.}, number={12}, journal={GENES}, author={Oppert, Brenda and Dossey, Aaron T. and Chu, Fu-Chyun and Satovic-Vuksic, Eva and Plohl, Miroslav and Smith, Timothy P. L. and Koren, Sergey and Olmstead, Morgan L. and Leierer, Dewey and Ragan, Gail and et al.}, year={2023}, month={Dec} }
 @article{oppert_muszewska_steczkiewicz_šatović-vukšić_plohl_fabrick_vinokurov_koloniuk_johnston_smith_et al._2022, title={The Genome of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae): Adaptation for Success}, volume={13}, ISSN={2073-4425}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/genes13030446}, DOI={10.3390/genes13030446}, abstractNote={The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), is a major global pest of cereal grains. Infestations are difficult to control as larvae feed inside grain kernels, and many populations are resistant to both contact insecticides and fumigants. We sequenced the genome of R. dominica to identify genes responsible for important biological functions and develop more targeted and efficacious management strategies. The genome was assembled from long read sequencing and long-range scaffolding technologies. The genome assembly is 479.1 Mb, close to the predicted genome size of 480.4 Mb by flow cytometry. This assembly is among the most contiguous beetle assemblies published to date, with 139 scaffolds, an N50 of 53.6 Mb, and L50 of 4, indicating chromosome-scale scaffolds. Predicted genes from biologically relevant groups were manually annotated using transcriptome data from adults and different larval tissues to guide annotation. The expansion of carbohydrase and serine peptidase genes suggest that they combine to enable efficient digestion of cereal proteins. A reduction in the copy number of several detoxification gene families relative to other coleopterans may reflect the low selective pressure on these genes in an insect that spends most of its life feeding internally. Chemoreceptor genes contain elevated numbers of pseudogenes for odorant receptors that also may be related to the recent ontogenetic shift of R. dominica to a diet consisting primarily of stored grains. Analysis of repetitive sequences will further define the evolution of bostrichid beetles compared to other species. The data overall contribute significantly to coleopteran genetic research.}, number={3}, journal={Genes}, publisher={MDPI AG}, author={Oppert, Brenda and Muszewska, Anna and Steczkiewicz, Kamil and Šatović-Vukšić, Eva and Plohl, Miroslav and Fabrick, Jeffrey and Vinokurov, Konstantin and Koloniuk, Igor and Johnston, J. and Smith, Timothy and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Feb}, pages={446} }