The complete genome of a songbird
Aug 6, 2026·
G Formenti, N Jain, JA Medico, M Sollitto, D Antipov, S Barcellos, M Biegler, I Borges, JK Chang, Y Chen, H Cheng, H Conceição, M Davenport, L De Oliveira, E Duarte, G Durham, J Fenn, N Forde, PA Galante, K Gerhardt, AM Giani, S Giunta, J Kim, A Komissarov, B Koo, S Koren, D Larkin, C Lee, H Li, KD Makova, P Masterson, T Murphy, K McCaffrey, RLV Mercuri, Y Na, MJ O’Connell, S Ou, A Phillippy, M Popova, A Rhie, FJ Ruiz-Ruano, S Secomandi, L Smeds, A Suh, T Tilley, N Vontzou, PD Waters, J Balacco, ED Jarvis
·
0 min read
Abstract
Bird genomes are the smallest among amniotes, but remain challenging to assemble due to their structural complexity. This study presents the first fully phased, diploid, telomere-to-telomere (T2T) reference genome for the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a model organism for neuroscience and evolutionary genomics. Combining multiple sequencing strategies resulted in closing nearly all gaps, adding ~90 Mbp of previously missing sequence (7.8%). This includes T2T assemblies for all microchromosomes, including dot chromosomes, and the previously almost entirely missing chr16. The T2T genome is comprehensively annotated for genes, repeats, structural variants, and long-read methylation calls. Complete centromeric structures were assembled and annotated along with kinetochore binding sites. Relative to the previous high-quality reference of the Vertebrate Genomes Project, 2,778 (8.51%) previously unassembled or unannotated genes were identified, of which 9% overlap with segmental duplications. This first complete genome of a songbird, now the new public reference, illuminates avian genome architecture and function.
Type
Publication
Cell
Authors
Professor
Kateryna is interested in genomics, evolution, and human genetics.
Her lab studies mutations using both computational and experimental
approaches. Additional topics of interest include sex chromosome
evolution and genomics of childhood obesity.
Authors
Postdoctoral Scholar
Linnéa’s research in the Makova lab involves investigating selection in non-canonical DNA from primates, especially G4 quadruplexes, using bioinformatics methods. Linnéa worked for 8 years as a bioinformatician in Dr. Hans Ellegren’s lab, developing approaches to study speciation, mutation rate and sex chromosome evolution in birds, before taking on a Ph. D. in evolutionary genetics. Her thesis “Conservation genomics in inbred Scandinavian wolves using bioinformatic methods” involved work on Y chromosome evolution, admixture, genetic load and structural variation.