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Chromosome-level genome of butterflyfish unveils genomic features of unique color patterns and morphological traits.

Suyu ZhangYue SongMeiru LiuZengbao YuanMengqi ZhangHe ZhangInge SeimGuangyi FanShanshan LiuXin Liu
Published in: DNA research : an international journal for rapid publication of reports on genes and genomes (2023)
Chaetodontidae, known as butterflyfishes, are typical fish in coral ecosystems, exhibiting remarkable interspecific differences including body color patterns and feeding ecology. In this study, we report genomes of three butterflyfish species (Chelmon rostratus, Chaetodon trifasciatus and Chaetodon auriga) and a closely related species from the Pomacanthidae family, Centropyge bicolor, with an average genome size of 656,11Mb. Chelmon rostratus, comprising 24 chromosomes assembled to the chromosome level, could be served as a reference genome for butterflyfish. By conducting a collinearity analysis between butterflyfishes and several fishes, we elucidated the specific and conserved genomic features of butterflyfish, with particular emphasis on novel genes arising from tandem duplications and their potential functions. In addition to the two melanocyte-specific tyr genes commonly found in fish, we found the gene tyrp3, a new tyrosinase-related proteins (TRP) gene in the reef fish, including butterflyfish and clownfish, implicating their involvement in the pigmentation diversity of fish. Additionally, we observed a tandem duplication expansion of three copies of nell1 gene in C. rostratus genome, which likely contribute to its unique jaw development and distinctive morphology of its sharp mouth. These results provided valuable genomic resources for further investigations into the genetic diversity and evolutionary adaptations of reef fish.
Keyphrases
  • genome wide
  • copy number
  • dna methylation
  • genetic diversity
  • genome wide identification
  • risk assessment