Xenopus borealis strain:NASCO Genome sequencing and assembly

To make Xenopus more useful for the modern age of "systems biology" where proteomic and genomic analyses promise a comprehensive understanding of life's processes, we propose here to continue the improvement of both short-range and long-range (chromosome-level) assemblies of Xenopus species. This project will develop innovative approaches to produce a high-quality gene annotation of the Xenopus genomes in parallel with improvements in the quality of genome assembly in genic regions. This project will support further work on Xenopus, particularly the patterning of the neural plate, and the consequences of species hybridization during the formation of allotetraploid animals.