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International Project 1KITE launched
(Sugadaira Montane Research Center: 2012.01.17)
An international project‚ 1K Insect Transcriptome Evolution (1KITE)‚ started on January 17‚ 2012. (https://1kite.wikispaces.com/)*
The objective of the 1KITE is to reveal the evolutional system of a major group of insects (phylogeny in higher levels of insects).
Scientists from fifteen institutes are tightly collaborating on the 1KITE project: Germany 5‚ America 3‚ Austria 2‚ Japan 2‚ Australia 1‚ China 1‚ and Mexico 1.
Among the fifteen research facilities‚ eight institutions play roles as the research core facilities to coordinate the project. The eight includes four from Germany‚ one from Australia‚ one from America‚ one from China‚ and one from Japan (Laboratory for the Arthropod Comparative Embryology‚ Sugadaira Montane Research Center‚ University of Tsukuba).
The 1KITE project is a massive project which conducts transcriptome analysis against 1‚000 insect species.
The 1000 species (1K) for the transcriptome analysis will be selected carefully‚ considering the effect on environment‚ economy‚ and medicine studies.
The major phyletic groups of insects‚ ranging from erygotes (wingless insects) to holometabola (insects that undergo complete metamorphosis)‚ will be included.
As part of the project‚ the Sugadaira Montane Research Center will verify a molecular dendrogram that is obtained from the transcriptome analysis. It would also carry out a sub project to research on the kinship among the BasalHexapods (primitive insect such as collembolan)‚ the TransOdonata (dragonflies)‚ and the Polyneoptera (neoptera such as earwig).
We are in great hope that the project would succeed in revealing the substantial phylogeny in higher levels of insects. The project initiation was issued on January 17‚ 2012 in a press release in Europe.
* Transcriptome is a term referring to genes in the DNA which determine the shape of living things.
Members of the research core facilities: (the 4th from right) Professor Ryuichiro Machida of the Sugadaira Montane Research Center
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