First whole genome assembly of Python regius (ball python), a model of extreme physiological and metabolic plasticity

The study of nontraditional model organisms, particularly those exhibiting extreme phenotypes, offers unique insights into adaptive mechanisms of stress response and survival. Snakes, with their remarkable physiological, metabolic, and morphological adaptations, serve as powerful models for investigating these processes. Pythons are a unique model organism that have been studied for their extreme metabolic and physiological plasticity. To date, the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is the only member of the Pythonidae family to have been sequenced. The low contiguity of this genome and rising challenges in obtaining Burmese pythons for study prompted us to sequence, assemble, and annotate the genome of the closely related ball python (Python regius). Using a hybrid sequencing approach, we generated a 1.45 Gb genome assembly with a contig N50 greater than 18 Mb and a BUSCO score of 98%, representing the highest quality genome to date for a member of the Pythonidae family. This assembly provides a valuable resource for studying snake-specific traits and evolutionary biology. Furthermore, it enables exploration of the molecular mechanisms underlying the remarkable cardiac and muscular adaptations in pythons, such as their ability to rapidly remodel organs following feeding and resist muscular atrophy during prolonged fasting. These insights have potential applications in human health, particularly in the development of therapies targeting cardiac hypertrophy and muscular atrophy.