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

Authors

Christopher A. EmerlingFollow
Zachary R. Hanna
James B. Henderson
Jeffrey D. Wall
Jérôme Fuchs
Charles Runckel
David P. Mindell
Rauri C. K. Bowie
Joseph L. DeRisi
John P. Dumbacher

Publication Date

2017

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Genome Biology & Evolution

Volume

9

Issue

10

First and Last Page

2522-2545

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 × 109 nt in length with an N50 length of 3.98 × 106 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.

Recommended Citation

Hanna, Z. R., Henderson, J. B., Wall, J. D., Emerling, C. A., Fuchs, J., Runckel, C., ... & Dumbacher, J. P. (2017). Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) genome: divergence with the barred owl (Strix varia) and characterization of light-associated genes. Genome biology and evolution, 9(10), 2522-2545.