Chromosome-level genome assembly of the king horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus rex) provides insights into its conservation status and chromosomal evolution of Rhinolophus.
Linjing Lan, Xin Zhang, Shanxiu Yang, Xiuguang Mao, Ji Dong
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
A high-quality reference genome is quite valuable in assessing the conservation status of a rare species when adequate data from other sources are unavailable. Bats comprise almost a fifth of all mammals and contribute greatly to ecosystem. However, due to the nocturnal and elusive habits, it is difficult to obtain the accurate census population size of a rare bat species and assess its conservation status. Here, we generate a chromosome-level genome assembly for the king horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus rex) and assess its conservation status by comparing the genome-wide summary statistics to other related species. The genome assembly size was 2.1 Gb (contig N50: 75.26 Mb) and 99.9% of the total sequences were anchored onto 30 autosomes, X and Y chromosomes. Despite lower genome-wide heterozygosity and recent inbreeding, R. rex did not exhibit higher genetic load comparing to the other two Rhinolophus species. Historical demography analysis revealed that R. rex maintained a long term (~2 million years) stable population size (~150,000). In the future whole-genome sequencing data from more individuals will be needed to comprehensively assess the conservation status at recent timescales. We also reconstructed the ancestral karyotype of Rhinolophus as 2n=54 and found that Robertsonian fissions and fusions were the main mechanism of chromosomal rearrangements in this genus. Overall, our study shows important implications of reference-quality genomes in both conservation genomics and comparative genomics.
期刊介绍:
Over the last 100 years, the Journal of Heredity has established and maintained a tradition of scholarly excellence in the publication of genetics research. Virtually every major figure in the field has contributed to the journal.
Established in 1903, Journal of Heredity covers organismal genetics across a wide range of disciplines and taxa. Articles include such rapidly advancing fields as conservation genetics of endangered species, population structure and phylogeography, molecular evolution and speciation, molecular genetics of disease resistance in plants and animals, genetic biodiversity and relevant computer programs.