An Annotated Chromosome-Level Reference Genome of the Red-Eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Genomics
• Comparative genomics

Background:

• Turtles exhibit unique evolutionary traits valuable for biological research.
• A high-quality reference genome for turtles is crucial for understanding evolutionary processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly of the Red-Eared Slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans, TSE).
• To provide a valuable genomic resource for future research on turtle and tetrapod evolution.
• To investigate chromosome evolution and rearrangements in turtles and related vertebrates.

Main Methods:

• Genome assembly of Trachemys scripta elegans (TSE).
• Scaffold N50 and N90 value calculation for assembly quality assessment.
• Gene annotation to identify protein-coding genes.
• Synteny analysis using BUSCO (Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs) to compare chromosome structures.

Main Results:

• A 2.269 Gb TSE genome assembly with high scaffold N50 (129.68 Mb) and N90 (19 Mb) values.
• Annotation of 28,415 genes within the TSE genome.
• Identification of two chromosome fusion events explaining karyotype differences in turtles.
• Detection of numerous fission and fusion events when comparing TSE to birds, crocodiles, and snakes.

Conclusions:

• The annotated chromosome-level TSE genome serves as a significant reference for evolutionary studies.
• The findings provide insights into the chromosomal evolution of turtles and vertebrates.
• This genome facilitates comparative genomic analyses and the study of novel evolutionary innovations.