Chromosome-level reference genome for the Jonah crab, Cancer borealis.

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Genomics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• The Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) is ecologically important and a model organism for neuroscience.
• Understanding its genome is crucial for fisheries, conservation, and biomedical research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate a highly contiguous reference genome for the Jonah crab.
• To provide a resource for advancing fisheries management, conservation efforts, and neuroscience research.

Main Methods:

• Utilized PacBio long-read sequencing and Omni-C scaffolding for genome assembly.
• Performed repeat annotation and gene model prediction.
• Conducted Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Ortholog (BUSCO) analysis for quality assessment.

Main Results:

• Generated a 691 Mb genome assembly with 51 chromosome-length scaffolds.
• Achieved 90.8% BUSCO completeness, indicating high assembly quality.
• Annotated 24,830 protein-coding genes and identified expanded gene families related to nervous system function.

Conclusions:

• The Jonah crab genome is a valuable resource for neuroscience, enabling further study of neural circuits and function.
• This genomic resource will support research into adaptation to environmental changes and sustainable fisheries management in the northwest Atlantic.