2010 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) The goals of the proposed research are to develop new functional genomic resources for the fire ant Solenopsis invicta and to employ these resources to examine biological traits that are simultaneously important for understanding its basic biology and identifying genes and gene networks that are potential targets for its biological control. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) 1) Large-scale EST studies will be performed to significantly increase the breadth and depth of transcriptome coverage using both 454 pyrosequencing as well as traditional Sanger sequencing technology. 2) An oligo microarray platform (Agilent) will be developed for gene expression studies using the EST sequence data. 3) A platform for screening SNPs will be developed using Illumina technology for population genomic and linkage studies. 4) Integrated physical and genetic maps will be generated for S. invicta, which are essential for linking phenotypic traits to the responsible genetic variation. 5) A web-based platform will be developed integrating these data in an easily accessible format. 3.Progress Report This project is related to Objective 1 of this in-house project: Develop functional genomic resources and employ these resources to examine the genetic basis of biological traits that can potentially be used for biologically based control, including implications for the geographic origins of infestations. The goal of this project is to develop new functional genomic resources for the fire ant S. invicta. The full genome sequence of the fire ant was generated (>20X coverage) and the resulting data have been assembled and annotated (>15,000 genes). The results are summarized in a manuscript currently under review. In addition, four cDNA libraries were constructed and sequenced using 454 pyrosequencing technology. Monitoring: Progress was continuously monitored through direct interactions with staff.