A large number of non-redundant ESTs from the sand fly  Lutzomyia longipalpis have been sequence at the Sanger Centre as a gene discovery project.  We have developed a genome wide cDNA  microarray  and are  identifying the candidate genes involved in the interaction of the sand fly with the parasite.   In addition to our own work this gene discovery program will  serve as a major  resource and hopefully stimulate other research in the field of sand fly/Leishmania interactions.

The sequence data can be accessed and BLAST searched from the L. longipalpis pages at the Sanger Institute.

We are also directly involved in a full genome sequencing programme for Phlebotomine sand flies. Two species of sand fly were selected for sequencing; one 'Old World' species, Phlebotomus papatasi that transmits Leishmania major and our 'New World' species Lutzomyia longipalpis.  BAC end sequencing for both species has been completed and we are now entering the second phase of the sequencing project.

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