Single-library chromosome-scale diploid assemblies of vole genomes resolve a species-specific duplication implicated in pair bonding

Abuelanin, Mohamed, Kaya, Gulhan, Lake, Juniper A, Lambert, Christine, Wu, Melody V, Berendzen, Kristen M, Wood, Jonathan, Krasheninnikova, Ksenia, Solomon, Nancy G, Donaldson, Zoe R, Bales, Karen L, Howe, Kerstin, Korlach, Jonas, Manoli, Devanand, Tollkuhn, Jessica, Dennis, Megan Y (August 2026) Single-library chromosome-scale diploid assemblies of vole genomes resolve a species-specific duplication implicated in pair bonding. Cell Genomics. p. 101336. ISSN 2666-979X

[thumbnail of 10.1016.j.xgen.2026.101336.pdf]

PDF
10.1016.j.xgen.2026.101336.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.
Download (7MB)

URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42561954

DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2026.101336

Abstract

Comparing prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a species that forms lasting pair bonds and exhibits biparental care, with meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), a non-monogamous species showing maternal care only, provides a framework to examine the genomic basis of behavioral divergence over short evolutionary time. Here, we develop a simplified assembly approach combining PacBio HiFi and CiFi sequencing in a single library and run, producing high-quality contiguous chromosome-scale diploid prairie and meadow vole genomes (2.3 Gbp). Comparative analysis reveals substantial differences, including near-complete Y chromosome divergence and a prairie-vole-specific duplication of Avpr1a, a vasopressin receptor gene implicated in social bonding and autism in humans. These extensive genomic changes suggest rapid chromosome evolution as a driver of the dramatic Microtus radiation, generating ∼60 vole species in >2 million years. This single-library approach facilitates a simplified and more affordable assembly workflow, producing near-complete genomes of diverse species using one sequencing platform.

Item Type:	Paper
Subjects:	bioinformatics bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics
CSHL Authors:	Wu, Melody Tollkuhn, Jessica
Communities:	CSHL labs > Tollkuhn lab
SWORD Depositor:	CSHL Elements
Depositing User:	CSHL Elements
Date:	6 August 2026
Date Deposited:	02 Sep 2026 19:42
Last Modified:	02 Sep 2026 19:42
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/42304

Actions (login required)

Administrator's edit/view item