Scientists Map Grasshopper Genome to Unlock Sex Chromosome Evolution
Researchers have sequenced the complete genome of a morabine grasshopper species, creating a high-quality reference that reveals how sex chromosomes evolve and diversify. The advance could accelerate understanding of genetic mechanisms underlying species formation, with potential applications in agriculture, pest management, and evolutionary biology research.
Originaltitel: Chromosome-level genome assembly of the morabine grasshopper <em>Vandiemenella viatica</em>19
<p>Morabine grasshoppers in the Vandiemenella viatica species group, which show karyotype diversity, have been studied for their ecological distribution and speciation in relation to their genetic and chromosomal diversity. They are good models for studying sex chromosome evolution as "old" and newly emerged sex chromosomes co-exist within the group. Here we present a reference genome for the viatica19 chromosomal race, that possesses the ancestral karyotype within the group. Using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing, we generated a chromosome-level assembly of 4.09 Gb in span, scaffold N50 of 429 Mb, and complete BUSCO score of 98.1%, containing 10 pseudo-chromosomes. We provide Illumina datasets of males and females, used to identify the X chromosome. The assembly contains 19,034 predicted protein-coding genes, and a total of 75.21% of repetitive DNA sequences. By leveraging HiFi reads, we mapped the genome-wide distribution of methylated bases (5mC and 6 mA). This comprehensive assembly offers a robust reference for morabine grasshoppers and supports further research into speciation and sex chromosome diversification within the group and its related species.</p>