Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) Genome: Divergence with the Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Characterization of Light-Associated Genes. (23rd August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hanna, Zachary R.; Henderson, James B.; Wall, Jeffrey D.; Emerling, Christopher A.; Fuchs, Jérôme; Runckel, Charles; Mindell, David P.; Bowie, Rauri C. K.; DeRisi, Joseph L.; Dumbacher, John P.
• Is Part Of: Genome biology and evolution. Volume 9:Number 10(2017:Oct.)
• Page Start: 2522
• Page End: 2545
• Publication Date: 2017-08-23
• Subjects: nuclear genome -- bird -- Strigidae -- Strigiformes -- Aves; Genomics -- Periodicals; Genes -- Periodicals; 572.8605
• DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx158
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-6653

Abstract

Abstract: We report here the assembly of a northern spotted owl ( Strix occidentalis caurina ) genome. We generated Illumina paired-end sequence data at 90× coverage using nine libraries with insert lengths ranging from ∼250 to 9, 600 nt and read lengths from 100 to 375 nt. The genome assembly is comprised of 8, 108 scaffolds totaling 1.26 × 10 9 nt in length with an N50 length of 3.98 × 10 6 nt. We calculated the genome-wide fixation index ( F ST ) of S. o. caurina with the closely related barred owl ( Strix varia ) as 0.819. We examined 19 genes that encode proteins with light-dependent functions in our genome assembly as well as in that of the barn owl ( Tyto alba ). We present genomic evidence for loss of three of these in S. o. caurina and four in T. alba . We suggest that most light-associated gene functions have been maintained in owls and their loss has not proceeded to the same extent as in other dim-light-adapted vertebrates.