A Chromosome-level Assembly and Functional Genomic Resources for the Model Annelid Capitella teleta

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Evolutionary Developmental Biology
• Marine Biology

Background:

• The polychaete Capitella teleta is a vital model organism in multiple scientific fields.
• The existing genome assembly for C. teleta is outdated and requires modernization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate a chromosome-level nuclear and mitochondrial genome assembly for C. teleta.
• To provide high-quality genomic resources for evolutionary, developmental, and conservation studies.

Main Methods:

• Combined long-read and short-read sequencing with Hi-C chromatin conformation capture.
• Assembled chromosome-level nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.
• Analyzed developmental time courses using RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and EM-seq data.

Main Results:

• Achieved a chromosome-level assembly of ~243.6 Mb with a complete gene repertoire.
• Identified significant rearrangements in nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.
• Enhanced data analysis quality, enabling identification of novel cell-type-specific gene markers.
• Developed a FAIR-compliant genome browser for public access.

Conclusions:

• The new reference genome assembly represents a significant advancement for C. teleta research.
• This resource facilitates new opportunities in animal and genome evolution studies.
• The improved assembly addresses a critical need within the scientific community.