Cited by 96Genomics and Phylogenetic StudiesGenetic and phenotypic traits in livestockChromosomal and Genetic Variations

Novel Functional Sequences Uncovered through a Bovine Multiassembly Graph

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Crysnanto, Danang, Leonard, Alexander S., Fang, Zih-Hua, Pausch, Hubert·2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Abstract Linear reference genomes are typically assembled from single individuals. They are unable to reflect the genetic diversity of populations and lack millions of bases. To overcome such limitations and make non-reference sequences amenable to genetic investigations, we build a multi-assembly graph from six reference-quality assemblies from taurine cattle and their close relatives. We uncover 70,329,827 bases that are missing in the bovine linear reference genome. The missing sequences encode novel transcripts that are differentially expressed between individual animals. Reads which were previously poorly or unmapped against the bovine reference genome now align accurately to the non-reference sequences. We show that the non-reference sequences contain polymorphic sites that segregate within and between breeds of cattle. Our efforts to uncover novel functional sequences from a multi-assembly graph pave the way towards the transition to a more representative bovine reference genome.

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Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.2101056118

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  • Graph pangenomes represent genomes as network structures, allowing for the simultaneous storage of multiple haplotypes and complex nested variations.

    “Unlike linear concatenations, graph pangenomes represent genomes as network structures (nodes and edges), allowing for the simultaneous storage of multiple haplotypes and complex nested variations [183,184].”

    From The Genomic Landscape of Cattle: Domestication, Dispersal, and Adaptive Evolution (2026) · cites this paper as [184]

    The graph-construction passages describe nodes and edges traversed by different assembly paths, and the structural-variation section reports multiple alleles within graph bubbles. That supports representing multiple genome sequences and variants in one graph. The Discussion says this implementation contains only insertions and deletions and cannot accurately integrate inversions or translocations; our copy does not establish the claimed capacity for complex nested variations. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Smith, T. Individual Breed Genome Assembly to Create the Cattle Pangenome. in Online Abstracts: International Plant and Animal Genomes XXVIII Conference W120 (2020).

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Authors
Crysnanto, D., Leonard, A. S., Fang, Z.-H., & Pausch, H.
Affiliations
ETH Zurich (CH)
Corresponding author
Crysnanto, Danang
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2021-05-10
Volume
118
Issue
20
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W3162276363
Cited by
96
References
75
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 5
FWCI
5.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (310030_185229)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
Keywords
pan-genome, cattle, novel genes, differentially expressed genes, polymorphic sites, genomic variation
MeSH terms
Whole Genome Sequencing, Animals, Cattle, Female, Male

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