Innovative assembly strategy contributes to the understanding of evolution and conservation genetics of the critically endangered Solenodon paradoxus from the island of Hispaniola

摘要: Solenodons are insectivores living on the Caribbean islands, with few surviving related taxa. The genus occupies one of most ancient branches among placental mammals. history, unique biology and adaptations these enigmatic venomous species, can be greatly advanced given availability genome data, but whole assembly for solenodons has never been previously performed, partially due to difficulty in obtaining samples from field. Island isolation likely resulted extreme homozygosity within Hispaniolan solenodon ( Solenodon paradoxus ), thus we tested performance several strategies genetically impoverished species9 genomes. string-graph based strategy seems a better choice compared conventional de Brujn graph approach, high levels homozygosity, which is often hallmark endemic or endangered species. A consensus reference was assembled sequences five individuals southern subspecies S. p. woodi ). In addition, obtained additional sequence northern resulting assemblies were each other, annotated genes, specific emphasis repeats, variable microsatellite loci other genomic variants. Phylogenetic positioning selection signatures inferred 4,416 single copy orthologs 10 Patterns SNP variation allowed us infer population demography, indicated split species at least 300 Kya.