Chromosome-level genome assembly of Plazaster borealis sheds light on the morphogenesis of multiarmed starfish and its regenerative capacity

Abstract

Background: Plazaster borealis has a unique morphology, displaying multiple arms with a clear distinction between disk and arms, rather than displaying pentaradial symmetry, a remarkable characteristic of echinoderms. Herein we report the first chromosome-level reference genome of P. borealis and an essential tool to further investigate the basis of the divergent morphology. Findings: In total, 57.76 Gb of a long read and 70.83 Gb of short-read data were generated to assemble a de novo 561-Mb reference genome of P. borealis, and Hi-C sequencing data (57.47 Gb) were used for scaffolding into 22 chromosomal scaffolds comprising 92.38% of the genome. The genome completeness estimated by BUSCO was 98.0% using the metazoan set, indicating a high-quality assembly. Through the comparative genome analysis, we identified evolutionary accelerated genes known to be involved in morphogenesis and regeneration, suggesting their potential role in shaping body pattern and capacity of regeneration. Conclusion: This first chromosome-level genome assembly of P. borealis provides fundamental insights into echinoderm biology, as well as the genomic mechanism underlying its unique morphology and regeneration.