Genome of Spea multiplicata, a Rapidly Developing, Phenotypically Plastic, and Desert-Adapted Spadefoot Toad.

ABSTRACT: Frogs and toads (anurans) are widely used to study many biological processes. Yet, few anuran genomes have been sequenced, limiting research on these organisms. Here, we produce a draft genome for the Mexican spadefoot toad, Spea multiplicata, which is a member of an unsequenced anuran clade. Atypically for amphibians, spadefoots inhabit deserts. Consequently, they possess many unique adaptations, including rapid growth and development, prolonged dormancy, phenotypic (developmental) plasticity, and adaptive, interspecies hybridization. We assembled and annotated a 1.07 Gb Sp. multiplicata genome containing 19,639 genes. By comparing this sequence to other available anuran genomes, we found gene amplifications in the gene families of nodal, hyas3, and zp3 in spadefoots, and obtained evidenc

SUBMITTER: Seidl F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6893194 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature