Silver Pomfret ( Pampus argenteus ): A Draft Genome Sequence

Silver pomfret, Pampus argenteus, is a fish species of high commercial value. Inspite of its importance, genetic and genomic studies have been limited. With the availability of the current advanced sequencing technologies, such as the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), it has been possible to sequence the complete genomes of various plant and animal species. Here we report the first draft genome sequence of the silver pomfret. A total of 93.41 Giga bytes paired-end read-data was obtained by Illumina HiSeq2000, using 48 genomic libraries with an insert-size of about 500 bp. Using Kmer statistics, the sequencing depth was estimated as 58X. Genome size was estimated to be 549.84 Million bases (Mb), by dividing the total length of the assembly with the sequencing depth. Based on the estimated genome size, around 64% of the genome was covered in the assembled scaffolds of 350 Mb. These scaffolds represent 63.7% of the estimated silver pomfret genome length. The newly sequenced and assembled genome has 11.06% repetitive DNA regions, and this percentage is comparable to that of the tilapia genome. The genome analysis predicted over 16 thousand genes. About 91% of these genes showed homology with the known proteins. The genomic information will provide a better understanding of the molecular functions of genes, proteins, and metabolites that are involved in the biological functions of this species. The information is also useful for the identification of important genetic markers. Further studies are required to complete and enhance the currently reported draft.