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Tracing animal genomic evolution with the chromosomal-level assembly of the freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri

Author

Listed:
  • Nathan J. Kenny

    (The Natural History Museum
    Oxford Brookes)

  • Warren R. Francis

    (University of Southern Denmark)

  • Ramón E. Rivera-Vicéns

    (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)

  • Ksenia Juravel

    (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)

  • Alex de Mendoza

    (The University of Western Australia
    Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research
    Queen Mary University of London)

  • Cristina Díez-Vives

    (The Natural History Museum)

  • Ryan Lister

    (The University of Western Australia
    Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research)

  • Luis A. Bezares-Calderón

    (University of Exeter)

  • Lauren Grombacher

    (University of Alberta)

  • Maša Roller

    (European Bioinformatics Institute)

  • Lael D. Barlow

    (University of Alberta)

  • Sara Camilli

    (Bates College)

  • Joseph F. Ryan

    (University of Florida)

  • Gert Wörheide

    (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
    SNSB-Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie
    Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)

  • April L. Hill

    (Bates College)

  • Ana Riesgo

    (The Natural History Museum)

  • Sally P. Leys

    (University of Alberta)

Abstract

The genomes of non-bilaterian metazoans are key to understanding the molecular basis of early animal evolution. However, a full comprehension of how animal-specific traits, such as nervous systems, arose is hindered by the scarcity and fragmented nature of genomes from key taxa, such as Porifera. Ephydatia muelleri is a freshwater sponge found across the northern hemisphere. Here, we present its 326 Mb genome, assembled to high contiguity (N50: 9.88 Mb) with 23 chromosomes on 24 scaffolds. Our analyses reveal a metazoan-typical genome architecture, with highly shared synteny across Metazoa, and suggest that adaptation to the extreme temperatures and conditions found in freshwater often involves gene duplication. The pancontinental distribution and ready laboratory culture of E. muelleri make this a highly practical model system which, with RNAseq, DNA methylation and bacterial amplicon data spanning its development and range, allows exploration of genomic changes both within sponges and in early animal evolution.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathan J. Kenny & Warren R. Francis & Ramón E. Rivera-Vicéns & Ksenia Juravel & Alex de Mendoza & Cristina Díez-Vives & Ryan Lister & Luis A. Bezares-Calderón & Lauren Grombacher & Maša Roller & Lael , 2020. "Tracing animal genomic evolution with the chromosomal-level assembly of the freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-17397-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17397-w
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    Cited by:

    1. Bob Zimmermann & Juan D. Montenegro & Sofia M. C. Robb & Whitney J. Fropf & Lukas Weilguny & Shuonan He & Shiyuan Chen & Jessica Lovegrove-Walsh & Eric M. Hill & Cheng-Yi Chen & Katerina Ragkousi & Da, 2023. "Topological structures and syntenic conservation in sea anemone genomes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.

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