A near-chromosome level genome assembly of Anopheles stephensi

Abstract

Malaria remains a major healthcare risk to growing economies like India and a chromosome-level reference genome of Anopheles stephensi is critical for successful vector management and an understanding of vector evolution. We report a chromosome-level assembly of an Indian strain from draft genomes of two strains using a homology-based iterative approach. The resulting assembly with an L50 of 9 had long enough scaffolds for building 90% of the three chromosomes using physical markers. The sequencing of individuals reveals a genetic diversity ten times higher than what is reported. Based on the developmental transcriptome and orthology of the 54 olfactory receptors (ORs) to those of other Anopheles species, we identify olfactory receptors with the potential for host recognition in the genus Anopheles. A comparative analysis of the genomes suggests limited inter-chromosomal gene flow and chromosomal arm switching with a potential role in adaptive radiation within the genus Anopheles.