Somniosus microcephalus isolate:GS21.2 Genome sequencing
The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is a giant (over 5 m) iconic abyssal species that inhabits the North Atlantic depths and the Arctic Ocean. It the longest-lived vertebrate known, with an estimated lifespan of around 400 years. We present the first chromosome-scale assembly of the Greenland shark genome, which will be instrumental to identify the genetic adaptations responsible for this remarkable animal's extreme longevity and peculiar traits. The assembly is 6.45 Gb, rendering the Greenland shark genome one of the largest non-tetrapod genomes sequenced so far.