[HELICONIUS] Heliconius genome news

[James Mallet]

Published at: 
<http://www.k-state.edu/agc/symp2010/Abstracts-2010.pdf>http://www.k-state.edu/agc/symp2010/Abstracts-2010.pdf 

But the research documented here is stated to be "as of April, 2010" 
-- and considerable advances have happened since. Prepare for more 
news soon! Danaus and Melitaea genome projects threaten the status of 
Heliconius as "first butterfly genome."
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53
The first butterfly genome? Process and progress in the complete 
genomic sequencing of Heliconius melpomene, the long-wing 
passion-flower butterfly.

*Walters, James R.; Heliconius Genome Consortium
University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Heliconius butterflies have been a model system for ecological and 
evolutionary research for over 150 years. They are known as a 
'textbook' example of mimicry where polymorphic wing color patterns 
within species repeatedly converged between species. Ongoing 
quantitative, population, and developmental genomic investigations of 
speciation, wing-coloration, mate choice, and other adaptive 
phenotypes make Heliconius butterflies a prominent emerging model 
genomic system.

Here we report on our strategy and progress in generating a complete 
genomic sequence for H. melpomene. This sequencing effort was 
initiated less than 2 years ago and reflects a collaboration between 
the broader Heliconius genetics research community and the Baylor 
Human Genome Sequencing Center. The 295 Mbp genome of H. melpomene is 
being sequenced entirely with 'next generation' technologies, 
primarily via 454 but with some Solexa data also to be included.
As of April, 2010 we have generated 6.7 Gbp of 454 sequences which 
corresponds to ~20x coverage. A Newbler assembly of the data yielded 
~14,000 scaffolds with N50 = 62 Kbp and ~105 contigs with N50 = 8.1 
Kbp. Ongoing 454 sequencing of an 8 Kbp mate-pair library and 
additional Solexa runs are expected to substantially improve the 
assembly in the near future. Scaffolds will be anchored and ordered 
along the chromosomes via RAD-tag genotyping of a F2 mapping family 
generated from the sequenced H. melpomene strain. RNA-seq data from 
several tissues will complement existing Sanger and 454 ESTs from 
wing tissues to guide genome annotation efforts, which will be 
conducted in collaboration with EBI's Ensembl Genomes initiative.


________________________________

James Mallet
UCL
www.ucl.ac.uk/taxome/jim  
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