title: Draft genome assemblies and predicted microRNA complements of the intertidal lophotrochozoans Patella vulgata (Mollusca, Patellogastropoda) and Spirobranchus (Pomatoceros) lamarcki (Annelida, Serpulida).
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that act post-transcriptionally to regulate gene expression levels. Some studies have indicated that microRNAs may have low homoplasy, and as a consequence the phylogenetic distribution of microRNA families has been used to study animal evolutionary relationships. Limited levels of lineage sampling, however, may distort such analyses. Lophotrochozoa is an under-sampled taxon that includes molluscs, annelids and nemerteans, among other phyla. Here, we present two novel draft genomes, those of the limpet Patella vulgata and polychaete Spirobranchus (Pomatoceros) lamarcki. Surveying these genomes for known microRNAs identifies numerous potential orthologues, including a number that have been considered to be confined to other lineages. RT-PCR demonstrates that some of these (miR-1285, miR-1287, miR-1957, miR-1983 and miR-3533), previously thought to be found only in vertebrates, are expressed. This study provides genomic resources for two lophotrochozoans and reveals patterns of microRNA evolution that could be hidden by more restricted sampling.
authors: Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory of School of Life Sciences and Center for Soybean Research of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
authors: Nathan J
authors: NJ
authors: Kenny
authors: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
authors: Erica K O
authors: EK
authors: Namigai
authors: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
authors: Ferdinand
authors: F
authors: Marlétaz
authors: Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory of School of Life Sciences and Center for Soybean Research of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. Electronic address: jeromehui@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors: Jerome H L
authors: JH
authors: Hui
authors: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK. Electronic address: sebastian.shimeld@zoo.ox.ac.uk.
authors: Sebastian M
authors: SM
authors: Shimeld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000845:Annelida / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D016678:Genome; D023281:Genomics; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008974:Mollusca / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Annelid; Genome; Lophotrochozoan; MicroRNA; Mollusc; Phylogeny; Spiralian