SilkMeta: a comprehensive platform for sharing and exploiting pan-genomic and multi-omic silkworm data

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Animal Models

Background:

• The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a vital animal model in research and agriculture.
• Previous work established a silkworm super-pan-genome dataset for studying genomic diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present SilkMeta, a comprehensive database of silkworm pan-genome and multi-omics data.
• To provide a platform for comparative and functional genomics research in silkworms and other insects.

Main Methods:

• Integrated 1082 short-read genomes, 546 long-read assembled genomes, 1168 transcriptomes, and 294 phenome characterizations.
• Included tens of millions of variations (variome), lncRNAs, full-length transcripts, and population statistics.
• Developed an interactive bioinformatics platform with twelve functional modules and data visualization tools.

Main Results:

• SilkMeta offers a rich repository of silkworm genomic and multi-omics data.
• The database incorporates functional genomics research publications and a mutant map.
• Provided bioinformatics tools facilitate data retrieval and analysis.

Conclusions:

• SilkMeta serves as a valuable resource for understanding silkworm global genomic diversity and phenotype-genotype associations.
• The platform supports comparative genomics and benefits the broader insect biology community.