Journal Article

DKFZ-2025-02368

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png De novo genome assembly of Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli).

Bekavac, M. (First author)DKFZ* ; Coimbra, R. (First author)DKFZ* ; Busa, V. (First author)DKFZ* ; Behm, M.DKFZ* ; Wagner, R.DKFZ* ; Goncalves, A.DKFZ* ; Begall, S. ; Frye, M.DKFZ* ; Odom, D. (Last author)DKFZ*

2025
Genetics Soc. of America Pittsburgh, PA

Abstract: Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli) is an African rodent known for its subterranean lifestyle and unique phenotypic traits, including extreme longevity, magnetoreception, and a cooperative breeding social structure. Efforts to dissect the genetic architecture of these traits and to decipher their phylogenetic relationships within the broader African mole-rat family would greatly benefit from a reference-grade genome. Here, we report a first genome assembly of a male Ansell's mole-rat. By combining Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) long-reads and Illumina short-reads with Hi-C data, we generated a chromosome level assembly with a total length of 2.27 Gb, 412 scaffolds and a scaffold N50 of 72.4 Mb. We identified 99.54% of expected genes and annotated 29,094 transcripts using RNA sequencing data. This high-quality de novo genome of Fukomys anselli lays the foundation for dissecting the genetic and evolutionary basis of its extraordinary traits and resolving African mole-rat phylogeny.

Keyword(s): Fukomys anselli ; Animalia ; Ansell’s mole-rat ; Bathyergidae ; genome assembly ; mole-rat ; nanopore

Note: #EA:B270#LA:B270# / epub

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. B270 Regulatorische Genomik und Evolution von Tumoren (B270)
2. A350 Reguläre Mechanismen der Genexpression (A350)
3. Abteilung Computergestützte und Molekulare Prävention (C220)

Research Program(s):

1. 312 - Funktionelle und strukturelle Genomforschung (POF4-312) (POF4-312)

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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