The Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project: probing the evolution of symbiosis across the tree of life
Open accessAbstract
We present the Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project, a global collaboration to generate high quality genome sequences for a wide range of eukaryotes and their microbial symbionts. Launched under the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the ASG Project brings together researchers from across the globe who hope to use these reference genomes to augment and extend their analyses of the dynamics, mechanisms and environmental importance of symbiosis. Applying large-scale, high-throughput sequencing and assembly technologies, the ASG collaboration will assemble and annotate the genomes of 500 symbiotic organisms – both the “hosts” and the microbial symbionts with which they associate. These data will be released openly to benefit all who work on symbiosis, from conservation geneticists to those interested in the origin of the eukaryotic cell.
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Thousands of newly sequenced chromosome-scale genomes are rapidly filling phylogenetic gaps of animal diversity.
“thousands of newly sequenced chromosome-scale genomes are rapidly filling phylogenetic gaps of animal diversity”
From Topological Approaches in Animal Comparative Genomics (2026) · cites this paper as [3]
The Abstract (page not specified) describes a plan to assemble genomes of 500 symbiotic organisms, including eukaryotic hosts and microbial symbionts. The section “Sequencing symbionts: from sample to openly accessible genome assembly” says Hi-C data will scaffold assemblies into near-chromosomal pseudomolecules. The paper does not establish that thousands of animal genomes have already been sequenced or are rapidly filling phylogenetic gaps. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Research works printed but not linked: 14
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Self-citationTopological Approaches in Animal Comparative Genomics
Schultz, D. T., & Simakov, O. (2026) · Annual Review of Animal Biosciences · doi:10.1146/annurev-animal-030424-084541 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
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- Authors
- McKenna, V., Archibald, J. M., Beinart, R., Dawson, M. N., Hentschel, U., Keeling, P. J., Lopez, J. V., Martín-Durán, J. M., Petersen, J. M., Sigwart, J. D., Simakov, O., Sutherland, K. R., Sweet, M., Talbot, N. J., Thompson, A. W., Bender, S., Harrison, P. W., Rajan, J., Cochrane, G., Berriman, M., Lawniczak, M. K. N., & Blaxter, M.
- Affiliations
- Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB)
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- University of Rhode Island (US)
- University of California, Merced (US)
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE)
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Nova Southeastern University (US)
- Queen Mary University of London (GB)
- University of Vienna (AT)
- University of Oregon (US)
- University of Derby (GB)
- Sainsbury Laboratory (GB)
- Portland State University (US)
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (US)
- European Bioinformatics Institute (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Blaxter, Mark
- ORCID
- Archibald, John M.
- Beinart, Roxanne
- Dawson, Michael N.
- Hentschel, Ute
- Keeling, Patrick J.
- Lopez, Jose V.
- Martín-Durán, José M.
- Petersen, Jillian M.
- Sigwart, Julia D.
- Simakov, Oleg
- Sutherland, Kelly R.
- Sweet, Michael
- Talbot, Nicholas J.
- Thompson, Anne W.
- Harrison, Peter W.
- Rajan, Jeena
- Cochrane, Guy
- Berriman, Matthew
- Lawniczak, Mara K.N.
- Blaxter, Mark
- Venue
- Wellcome Open Research
- Publisher
- F1000 Research Ltd
- Published
- 2021-10-06
- Volume
- 6
- Pages
- 254
- ISSN
- 2398-502X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC12117321
- OpenAlex
- W3203186475
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 3
- FWCI
- 2.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- new_version (2024-06-10)
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Wellcome Open Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) (acceptedVersion)
- Queen Mary Research Online (Queen Mary University of London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- NSUWorks (Nova Southeastern University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- PDXScholar (Portland State University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF8897)
- Wellcome Trust (206194)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Keywords
- symbiosis, host-symbiont interactions, microbial symbionts, eukaryotic genomes, genome assembly, genome annotation, symbiosis evolution, aquatic organisms, reference genome, eukaryotic origin
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