Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the crested gecko, Correlophus ciliatus, a lizard incapable of tail regeneration.
Publication Year:
2024
PubMed ID:
39539519
Public Summary:
This work describes the genome annotation of the crested gecko. The crested gecko cannot regenerate its tai, but other geckos can regenerate their tails. This work is important because the genomes of regenerative geckos can be compared to the non-regenerative crested gecko to identify genes that may be important in limb regeneration. This information could be crucial in developing new approaches to regenerating bone, cartilage, or muscle tissues for patients who lose limbs.
Scientific Abstract:
The vast majority of gecko species are capable of tail regeneration, but singular geckos of Correlophus, Uroplatus, and Nephrurus genera are unable to regrow lost tails. Of these non-regenerative geckos, the crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is distinguished by ready availability, ease of care, high productivity, and hybridization potential. These features make C. ciliatus particularly suited as a model for studying the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying loss of tail regeneration capabilities. We report a contiguous genome of C. ciliatus with a total size of 1.65 Gb, 152 scaffolds, L50 of 6, and N50 of 109 Mb. Repetitive content consists of 40.41% of the genome, and a total of 30,780 genes were annotated. Our assembly of the crested gecko genome provides a valuable resource for future comparative genomic studies between non-regenerative and regenerative geckos and other squamate reptiles. FINDINGS: We report genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation for the crested gecko, Correlophus ciliatus.
