An improved germline genome assembly for the sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus illuminates the evolution of germline-specific chromosomes

Nataliya Timoshevskaya, Kaan Eşkut, Vladimir A. Timoshevskiy, Sofia M.C. Robb, Carson Holt, Jon E. Hess, Hugo J. Parker, Cindy F. Baker, Allison K. Miller, Cody Saraceno, Mark Yandell, Robb Krumlauf, Shawn R. Narum, Ralph T. Lampman, Neil J. Gemmell, Jacquelyn Mountcastle, Bettina Haase, Jennifer R. Balacco, Giulio Formenti, Sarah PelanYing Sims, Kerstin Howe, Olivier Fedrigo, Erich D. Jarvis, Jeramiah J. Smith

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Programmed DNA loss is a gene silencing mechanism that is employed by several vertebrate and nonvertebrate lineages, including all living jawless vertebrates and songbirds. Reconstructing the evolution of somatically eliminated (germline-specific) sequences in these species has proven challenging due to a high content of repeats and gene duplications in eliminated sequences and a corresponding lack of highly accurate and contiguous assemblies for these regions. Here, we present an improved assembly of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) genome that was generated using recently standardized methods that increase the contiguity and accuracy of vertebrate genome assemblies. This assembly resolves highly contiguous, somatically retained chromosomes and at least one germline-specific chromosome, permitting new analyses that reconstruct the timing, mode, and repercussions of recruitment of genes to the germline-specific fraction. These analyses reveal major roles of interchromosomal segmental duplication, intrachromosomal duplication, and positive selection for germline functions in the long-term evolution of germline-specific chromosomes.

Original languageEnglish
Article number112263
JournalCell Reports
Volume42
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 28 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Keywords

  • CP: Molecular biology
  • assembly
  • chromatin diminution
  • chromosome
  • evolution
  • genome
  • germline
  • lamprey
  • programmed DNA loss

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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