Biology subjects

Meissner, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Meissner, R..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

A de novo reference genome of the golden jackal, Canis aureus

The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is rapidly expanding its range in Europe, driven by climate and habitat changes, human influence, and changes in competition with wolves. Its ecological flexibility enables it to thrive in various habitats, including urban areas, raising concerns about its potential role in spreading zoonotic diseases. Jackals may act as reservoirs for pathogens such as Lyme disease and babesiosis, affecting wildlife, humans, and pets. Their close genetic relationship with domestic dogs also increases the risk of hybridization and host-jumping, complicating disease dynamics. To better understand their dispersal ability and host-pathogen dynamics, we present the first chromosome-level genome assembly of the golden jackal, generated using PacBio HiFi sequencing and reference-based scaffolding. The final assembly has a total length of 2.53 Gb in 325 scaffolds, with 98.41% of the sequence anchored to the expected 38+XY chromosomes. The assembly shows high contiguity, with scaffold and contig N50 values of 68.03 Mb and 56.64 Mb, respectively. Annotation revealed 26,084 protein-coding genes, and repetitive elements account for 40.58% of the total assembly. This high-quality reference genome provides an essential resource for studying the genetic basis of the golden jackals adaptation, ecological interactions, and potential as a zoonotic reservoir. It also supports efforts to monitor population expansion and its effects on ecosystems. By advancing our understanding of golden jackal genetics, this work enables future research on evolution, host-pathogen dynamics, and the broader consequences of wildlife dispersal in a rapidly changing environment.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

Near-chromosome-level genome assembly and transcriptome of the Ural owl, Strix uralensis PALLAS, 1771

The Ural owl (Strix uralensis) is a large member of the Strigidae family and inhabits Eurasian forests ranging from Germany to Japan. However, it faces increased range reduction, particularly at its southwestern distribution edges. Despite being considered "Least Concern" by the IUCN, local populations have become threatened in Central Europe due to severe habitat loss. Reintroduction programs aim to restore these populations by closing distribution gaps and facilitating natural recolonization of suitable habitats. To support these efforts, genomic resources have become an established tool to assess genetic diversity, geographic structure, and potential inbreeding, crucial for maintaining the genetic health and adaptability of newly established populations. Here, we present a de novo genome assembly and transcriptome of the Ural owl based on ONT long-reads, Omni-C Illumina short-reads, and RNASeq data. The final assembly has a total length of 1.26 Gb, of which 96.37 % are anchored into the 41 largest scaffolds. The contig and scaffold N50 values of 88.6 Mb and 21.7 Mb, respectively, a BUSCO/compleasm completeness of 97.5 %/99.65 % and k-mer completeness of 95.18 %, emphasize the high quality of this assembly. Furthermore, annotation of the assembly identified 17,650 genes and a repeat content of 12.48 %. This new highly contiguous and chromosome-scale assembly will greatly benefit Ural owl conservation management by informing reintroduction programs about the species genetic health and contributing a valuable resource to study genetic function in greater detail across the whole Strigidae family.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

A Prelude to Conservation Genomics: First Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of a Flying Squirrel (Pteromyini: Pteromys volans)

The Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) represents the only European Pteromyini species. Thus, it is biogeographically unique due to its specialised anatomy and biology as a volant rodent. As a result of habitat fragmentation and destruction, Siberian flying squirrels experience severe and ongoing population declines throughout most of their distribution. While considered Least Concern throughout their immense Eurasian distribution, this species is red-listed as Vulnerable and even Critically Endangered in parts of its range. More knowledge about the population structure and overall biology is needed to improve conservation efforts for this umbrella and flagship species of old-growth boreal forests. Here, we present the first chromosome-level genome assembly of any Pteromyini, represented by P. volans (Uoulu_pteVol_1.0). The final assembly has a total length of 2.85 Gbp in 19 chromosome-scale scaffolds with only minor differences in the chromosomal structure compared to other Sciuridae. All chromosome-scale scaffolds show indications for telomeres at both ends; the N50 value and busco as well as k-mer completeness scores are high with 157.39 Mbp and 97 - 99 %, respectively, indicating chromosome-level quality of the assembly. Based on whole-genome data from 17 rodent species, P. volans clusters according to known evolutionary relationships. Additionally, we present a new 16,511 bp long mitogenome unveiling differences from known conspecific mitogenomes. We propose the utility of the new reference genome for further research and development of conservation-applied genetic methods.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2024

Unraveling Genome- and Immunome-wide Genetic Diversity in Jaguars (Panthera onca): Implications for Targeted Conservation

Our study examines the declining Jaguar populations in Central and South America, assessing the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on genetic diversity and local adaptation. We investigated population structure and immunome variability in 25 jaguars to identify unique genetic diversity for informed, targeted conservation. Our genome-wide analyses revealed three distinct geographic populations corresponding to Central America, South American lowland, and South American highland regions. While the highland population displayed lower overall immunome-wide variability, specific innate (Natural killer cell complex, Toll-like receptor) and adaptive (Major histocompatibility complex-class-II) immune genes crucial for adaptive responses showed promising diversity. Nonetheless, South American highland and Central American jaguars are severely threatened. Therefore, we propose re-evaluating evolutionary significant units to prioritize conservation efforts, preserving crucial genetic and adaptive diversity essential for the species resilience and long-term survival.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2022

A chromosome-scale high-contiguity genome assembly of the threatened cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus, SCHREBER 1775) is a large felid and is considered the fastest land animal. Historically, it inhabited open grassland across Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and southwestern Asia; however, only small and fragmented populations remain today. Here, we present a de novo genome assembly of the cheetah based on PacBio continuous long reads and Hi-C proximity ligation data. The final assembly (VMU_Ajub_asm_v1.0) has a total length of 2.38 Gb, of which 99.7% are anchored into the expected 19 chromosome-scale scaffolds. The contig and scaffold N50 values of 96.8 Mb and 144.4 Mb, respectively, a BUSCO completeness of 95.4% and a k-mer completeness of 98.4%, emphasize the high quality of the assembly. Furthermore, annotation of the assembly identified 23,622 genes and a repeat content of 40.4%. This new highly contiguous and chromosome-scale assembly will greatly benefit conservation and evolutionary genomic analyses and will be a valuable resource, e.g., to gain a detailed understanding of the function and diversity of immune response genes in felids.

genomics↗