Using DNA to Track the Spread of Bedbugs
Bed Bug Gilles San MartinNew research from two international teams will help unravel the origins of infestations Independent research teams from the U.S. and the U.K. are developing genetic techniques similar to those used in forensics labs to trace the ancestry of the bedbug. The work may help map the spread of the pesky bloodsucker over the course of the continuing global resurgence, as well as lead to DNA tests for use in lawsuits and other bed-bug-related disputes. Both teams are using DNA genotyping to look for genetic markers called microsatellites, which are regions in the genome where base pairs-which make up the alphabet of DNA-are repeated. Both the father and mother pass on these repeated sequences, or slight variations of them, to their offspring. This means the microsatellites can identify individual bugs, as well as "help show how individuals in a population are related," says Warren Booth, a molecular...