De Novo Genome Sequencing and Mapping of the Crown-of-Thorns Sea Star, Acanthaster planci

BioNano Irys technology is a high-throughput single molecule analysis that enables 20x coverage physical mapping of a human-sized genome just in days. This next-generation mapping technology is used to improve NGS genome assembly as well as structural analysis to detect large scale variation and some more applications. To take full advantage of the Irys technology, the quality of the starting material, genomic DNA, is the key factor. The DNA molecules needs to be longer than at least 100 kb, preferably 1Mb, with small number of nicks to avoid false signals. To meet this criteria, known standard DNA extraction procedure sometimes needs optimization, especially for non-model organisms.

Using the Irys technology in combination with a set of the latest NGS technologies, we have sequenced whole genome and made a genome physical map for one of such organisms: the crown-of-thorns starfish. or COTS, Acanthaster planci. The COTS genome analysis provides not only better understanding of a natural enemy of reef corals, but also an interesting insight into developmental genetics and its evolution in deuterostomes.

In this presentation, whole procedure from live sperm to sequencing/mapping will be presented, mainly from technical point of view.