A bird-like genome from a frog: Mechanisms of genome size reduction in the ornate burrowing frog, Platyplectrum ornatum

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011649118
• Publication Date: 2021-03-08T21:25:40Z
• Authors: Sangeet Lamichhaney; Renee Catullo; J. Scott Keogh; Simon Clulow; Scott V. Edwards; Tariq Ezaz
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; Genome; Sex Chromosomes; Gene Expression Profiling; Reproduction; Gene Expression; Molecular Sequence Annotation; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sex Determination Processes; Birds; Sexual Behavior, Animal; 03 medical and health sciences; Genome Size; Karyotyping; Animals; Female; RNA, Messenger; Anura; RNA, Small Interfering

Significance

The mechanisms by which genomes become smaller in lineages with large genomes, such as many frogs, are poorly understood. Here, we present the sequence of a very small genome from a frog—that of the ornate burrowing frog, Platyplectrum ornatum , whose genome is smaller than that of many birds, a group well known for small genomes. Our data show that this frog evolved molecular mechanisms to keep in check a major process characterizing large genomes: namely, proliferation of transposable elements. We also present basic data on gene expression and sex determination in this emerging model for genome miniaturization.