Long-Read Genome Sequencing of Abscondita cerata (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), the Endemic Firefly of Taiwan

Abscondita cerata is the most abundant and widely distributed endemic firefly species in Taiwan and is considered a key environmental and ecological indicator organism. This study demonstrates that the utilization of low coverage Nanopore long reads coupled with paired-end short reads is capable of generating a drafted genome that covers ~85% of genes. The Abs. cerata genome and transcriptome reveal (1) their vision is mainly UVS for detecting environmental twilight and deciding when to begin nocturnal activity, (2) the major expressed olfactory receptors (OR56d) may be correlated to the suitable humidity sensing, and (3) Luc1-type luciferase is responsible for Abs. cerata luminescent spectrum. This study is part of Taiwan Biogenome Project, which is funded by Academia Sinica, Taiwan.

Read the full article, published by Zoological Studies, here

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