The genome of Schmidtea mediterranea and the evolution of core cellular mechanisms

Abstract

The planarian Schmidtea mediterranea is an important model for stem cell research and regeneration, but adequate genome resources for this species have been lacking. Here we report a highly contiguous genome assembly of S. mediterranea , using long-read sequencing and a de novo assembler (MARVEL) enhanced for low-complexity reads. The S. mediterranea genome is highly polymorphic and repetitive, and harbours a novel class of giant retroelements. Furthermore, the genome assembly lacks a number of highly conserved genes, including critical components of the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint, but planarians maintain checkpoint function. Our genome assembly provides a key model system resource that will be useful for studying regeneration and the evolutionary plasticity of core cell biological mechanisms.

Cited by papers we hold 5

• Contrasting signatures of genomic divergence during sympatric speciation · 2020
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• Benchmarking of long-read correction methods · 2020
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• Evaluation of dynamic developmental processes and the molecular basis of the high body fat percentage of different proglottid types of Moniezia expansa · 2019
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• Revisiting metazoan phylogeny with genomic sampling of all phyla · 2019
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• A planarian nidovirus expands the limits of RNA genome size · 2018
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