Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026
12:08
Hybrid De Novo Genome Assembly for the Generation of Complete Genomes of Urinary Bacteria using Short- and Long-read Sequencing Technologies
Published on: August 20, 2021
5.9K
Full disclosure: Genome assembly is still hard.
1Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
Plos Biology
|April 25, 2018
Summary
Comparative genomics reveals insights into anhydrobiosis, the ability to survive desiccation, in bdelloid rotifers and tardigrades. High-quality genome assemblies are crucial for understanding these unique survival strategies.
Area of Science:
- Comparative genomics
- Anhydrobiosis research
- Microscopic animal biology
Background:
- Bdelloid rotifers and tardigrades exhibit remarkable anhydrobiosis (desiccation tolerance).
- Previous genomic studies faced challenges with short-read assemblies and high sequence polymorphism in these microscopic species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of comparative genomics in understanding anhydrobiosis.
- To address the limitations of current genomic assembly methods for microscopic organisms.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of recent comparative genomic studies on bdelloid rotifers and tardigrades.
- Discussion of challenges in generating and interpreting short-read draft assemblies.
Main Results:
- Two recent papers showcase the comparative genomics of anhydrobiosis in these organisms.
- Significant difficulties exist in producing and interpreting draft genome assemblies for microscopic species.
Conclusions:
- High-quality, multi-species comparative genomics is essential for fully realizing the potential of genomic data.
- Moving beyond single draft-quality genomes is necessary for robust insights into anhydrobiosis.
Related Concept Videos
03:36Genome Annotation and Assembly
21.1K
The genome refers to all of the genetic material in an organism. It can range from a few million base pairs in microbial cells to several billion base pairs in many eukaryotic organisms. Genome assembly refers to the process of taking the DNA sequencing data and putting it all back together in a correct order to create a close representation of the original genome. This is followed by the identification of functional elements on the newly assembled genome, a process called genome annotation.
21.1K
02:02Genomics
40.9K
Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
40.9K
01:22Toughness and Hardness of Aggregate
641
Toughness and hardness are critical properties of aggregate materials used in concrete, particularly on pavement surfaces and industrial flooring subjected to heavy loads. Toughness is defined as the aggregate's resistance to failure by impact and is measured by the aggregate impact value (AIV). For this, the aggregate impact value test is performed, wherein the impact is delivered by a standard hammer, which falls freely under its own weight onto the aggregates. The aggregates fragment in...
641
02:30Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
37.3K
Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
37.3K
02:41Protein Complex Assembly
16.9K
Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types. Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
16.9K
03:21Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes
9.2K
While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
9.2K