Chromosome-level genome assembly and chromatin spatial organization of the liver fluke Opisthorchis felineus. Opisthorchis felineus

Opisthorchis felineus is a food-borne trematode and a causative agent of opisthorchiasis. An estimated 1.2 million people are infected with O. felineus and 12.5 million are at risk of infection.Liver fluke infection is known to adversely affect hepatobiliary system of mammals and is recognized as one of the major risk factors of cholangiocarcinoma. The previously published scaffold-level genome assembly of O. felineus is highly fragmented and therefore imposes severe limitations on studying its functional and spatial organization. The current project has yielded a new chromosome-level genome assembly of O. felineus based on long-read sequencing and Hi-C data. The obtained genome assembly provides a solid platform for further fundamental and applied comparative and functional genomics studies, and will aid in development of the new anthelminthic interventions.