Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the Antarctica whitefin plunderfish Pogonophryne albipinna.

ABSTRACT

The Antarctic whitefin plunderfish Pogonophryne albipinna belongs to the family Artedidraconidae, a key component of Antarctic benthic ecosystems within the order Perciformes and the suborder Notothenioidei. While genome research on P. albipinna using short-read sequencing is available, high-quality genome assembly and annotation employing long-read sequencing have yet to be performed. This study presents a chromosome-scale genome assembly and annotation for P. albipinna, utilizing a combination of Illumina short-read, PacBio long-read, and Hi-C sequencing technologies. The resulting genome assembly spans approximately 1.07 Gb, with a longest scaffold measuring 59.39 Mb and an N50 length of 41.76 Mb. Of the 1,111 Hi-C scaffolds, 23 exceeded 10 Mb and were thus classified as chromosome-level. BUSCO completeness was assessed at 95.6%. The assembled genome comprises 50.68% repeat sequences, and a total of 31,128 protein-coding genes were predicted. This study will enhance our understanding of the genomic characteristics of cryonotothenioids and facilitate comparative analyses of their adaptation and evolution in extreme environments.