Chromosome-level genome assembly and population genomics of Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus) provide insights into high-altitude adaptation in lizards.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although the extreme environmental adaptation of organisms is a hot topic in evolutionary biology, genetic adaptation to high-altitude environment remains poorly characterized in ectothermic animals. Squamates are among the most diverse terrestrial vertebrates, with tremendous ecological plasticity and karyotype diversity, and are a unique model system to investigate the genetic footprints of adaptation.

Results

We report the first chromosome-level assembly of the Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus) and our comparative genomics analyses found that multiple chromosome fissions/fusions events are unique to lizards. We further sequenced the genomes of 61 Mongolian racerunner individuals that were collected from altitudes ranging from ~ 80 to ~ 2600 m above sea level

SUBMITTER: Li W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9942394 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature