Journal article
Whole-Genome Sequence of Potamopyrgus antipodarum-A Model System for the Maintenance of Sexual Reproduction-Reveals a Recent Whole-Genome Duplication
Genome biology and evolution, Vol.17(11), evaf192
10/29/2025
DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaf192
PMCID: PMC12596079
PMID: 41205296
Abstract
Key unanswered questions in biology center on the causes, consequences, and maintenance of sexual reproduction ("sex"). Genome-driven processes are central to the evolutionary and genetic mechanisms inherent to sex, making genomic resources a fundamental part of answering these questions. We present the first genome assembly for a species that is uniquely well-suited for the study of (a)sex in nature, Potamopyrgus antipodarum. This New Zealand snail is unusual in featuring multiple separate transitions from obligately sexual to obligately asexual reproduction, leading to the coexistence of phenotypically similar sexual and asexual forms, a feature that is required to directly study the maintenance of sex. These separately derived asexual lineages constitute separate evolutionary experiments, providing a powerful means of characterizing how the absence of sex affects genome evolution. Our genome assembly provides critical steps toward understanding the causes and consequences of sex in this system and important resources for the rapidly growing P. antipodarum and molluscan genomics research community. In characterizing this genome, we uncovered unexpected evidence for a recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) in P. antipodarum. This discovery sets the stage for using P. antipodarum to evaluate processes of rediploidization following WGD and to assess whether WGD might drive transitions to asexuality.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Whole-Genome Sequence of Potamopyrgus antipodarum-A Model System for the Maintenance of Sexual Reproduction-Reveals a Recent Whole-Genome Duplication
- Creators
- Joseph Jalinsky - University of IowaKyle E McElroy - Iowa State UniversityJoel Sharbrough - University of IowaLaura Bankers - University of IowaPeter D Fields - University of BaselChelsea Higgins - University of IowaCynthia Toll - University of IowaJeffrey L Boore - BIO Ventures for Global HealthJohn M Logsdon Jr - University of Iowa, BiologyMaurine Neiman - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Genome biology and evolution, Vol.17(11), evaf192
- DOI
- 10.1093/gbe/evaf192
- PMID
- 41205296
- PMCID
- PMC12596079
- NLM abbreviation
- Genome Biol Evol
- ISSN
- 1759-6653
- eISSN
- 1759-6653
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Grant note
- Iowa Office for Undergraduate Research Funding NSF DEB-175433 / Iowa Science Foundation NSF OAC-2322260 / Iowa Science Foundation 2018594 / Iowa State University New Mexico INBRE New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology University of Colorado-Boulder NSF DEB-2148203 / Iowa Science Foundation OAC-2201538 / Colorado State University OAC-2322260 / Colorado State University
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/29/2025
- Academic Unit
- Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies; Biology
- Record Identifier
- 9985027351702771
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