2023-10-20 10:54:29
The word cephalopod designates all those marine species whose head is literally joined to its extremities, such as squid, octopuses, cuttlefish and nautiluses. In some cases, their size can be impressive, reaching more than twenty meters. However, what really makes a cephalopod unique is its nervous system, the largest among invertebrates in the case of coleoid cephalopods, which comprise about 800 species. They are capable of such sophisticated behaviors as collecting information from their environment to adapt its color or shape or even using tools at their convenience.
Precisely because of its complex nervous system, its advanced learning capacity and its exceptional camouflage abilities, it was necessary to go one step further and offer the scientific community the assembly of the genome at the chromosomal scale of the common octopus, The common octopus (Cuvier, 1797), not available so far.
This was the main objective of the international research, which has the participation of the National Center for Genomic Analysis (CNAG). The study, published in the journal G3: Genes, Genomes, Geneticsis within the EASIGenomics projecta collaborative initiative coordinated by Ivo Gooddirector of the CNAG, whose purpose is to provide DNA sequencing technologies to researchers in academia and industry.
One of the most important contributions of the study has been the opportunity to discover more about the functioning of the brain, from the study of the neuronal plasticity of cephalopod brains.
Once again the limits of what is possible with genomic technologies have been crossed
Ivo Gut, director of the CNAG
“It is very gratifying to see such a difficult project like this achieve such an impressive result. Once again the limits of what is possible with genomic technologies have been pushed when it comes to the treatment of very complicated genomes. It also highlights highlights the need for close collaboration between researchers trying to go further and the cutting-edge technology operations of centers like the CNAG,” says Gut.
23,000 genes, deciphered in Spain by the most cutting-edge genomic technologies
At CNAG, the Sequencing Unit and the Genome Assembly and Annotation Team have contributed significantly to the study, performing whole genome sequencing (WGS) using the most cutting-edge genomic technologiessuch as those from Illumina, Oxford Nanopore Technologies and 10X Genomics, and applying chromatin contacts to achieve genome assembly at the chromosomal level.
According to the CNAG researcher, Tyler Alioto: “Assembling the 30 chromosomes of the common octopus genome and its more than 23,000 genes was made easier by using a combination of new DNA sequencing technologies capable of reading very long fragments of DNA at a time and a method of “complementary sequencing capable of grouping the sequences assembled into chromosomes. This genome has posed an unprecedented computational challenge, due to the complexity of the underlying genome. We are really satisfied with the final results.”
This genome has posed an unprecedented computational challenge, due to the complexity of the underlying genome. We are really satisfied with the results
Tyler Alioto, CNAG researcher,
A new genetic map available
The result of the research has been a complete success, shedding light on previous genomic studies, particularly of great help in characterizing the cellular diversity of the developing brain, the evolution of cephalopod brains and the repertoire of non-coding RNA specific to cephalopods. the cephalopods.
The assembly contains 2.8 billion base pairs, 99.34% of which are located on 30 chromosomes. The common octopus annotation comprises 23,423 protein-coding genes. Just for reference, the human genome contains 20,000 genes, on 23 chromosomes.
In addition to becoming an important emerging model for future evolutionary studies of cephalopods, the genome at the chromosomal level of the The common octopus It will be a breakthrough in comparative neuroscience, cognition research and developmental biology. The scientific community will have another tool to deepen the study of the nervous system, learning and memorynot only in the field of cephalopods, but also in that of mammals.
This species is so fascinating that studies of these animals have a long tradition, especially since the neuronal plasticity of the octopus brain
In fact, this species is so fascinating, especially in the scientific field, that studies of these animals have a long tradition, especially since the neuronal plasticity of the octopus brain—that is, the brain’s ability to change and adapt. as new things are learned and experienced—provides evidence for the existence of structures functionally analogous to those of the mammalian brain. This also makes them a comparative model group for neurophysiological studies.
On the other hand, its ability to regenerate parts of your bodyas well as the rapid changes in their body patterns, which are important for camouflage and communication, make octopuses a popular research topic to study how these innovative traits emerged—and have changed—during evolution.
Fuente: SINC
Rights: Creative Commons.
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