Scientists on the brink of decoding the whole genetic blueprint of an insect.(The Dallas Morning News)

WASHINGTON _ Scientists announced Friday that they have decoded virtually the entire genetic blueprint of an insect. Such blueprints are the entire set of chemical instructions that direct the growth, life and decline of living organisms.

The insect, a common fruit fly that feeds on fungus, may seem like an obscure animal to study. But scientists say the new genetic achievement will advance research in cancer, the immune system and many other biological processes.

Decoding the blueprint ``is the beginning, not the end,'' said Craig Venter, head of the genetics company Celera Genomics in Rockville, Md.

Celera, along with scientists from the…