Deep sequencing analysis of the circadian transcriptome of the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis

The study of the circadian clock has benefited greatly from using Drosophila as a model system. Yet, accumulating evidence suggests that the fly might not be the canonical insect model. Here, we have analysed the circadian transcriptome of the Jewl wasp Nasonia vitripennis by using RNA-seq in both constant darkness (DD) and constant light (LL, the wasps are rhythmic in LL with period shortening). At a relatively stringent FDR (q < 0.1), we identified 1,057 cycling transcripts in DD and 929 in LL (fraction of 6.7% and 5.9% of all transcripts analysed in DD and LL respectively). Although there was little similarity between cycling genes in Drosophila and Nasonia, the functions fulfilled by cycling transcripts were similar in both species. Of the known Drosophila core clock genes, only pdp1e, shaggy and Clok showed a significant cycling in Nasonia, underscoring the importance of studying the clock in non-model organisms.