Trichoplax sp. H2 and endosymbiont genome sequencing

Trichoplax sp. H2 is the closest relative of the single described placozoan species Trichoplax adhaerens that is accessible in lab cultures. Moreover, it is the most abundant placozoan in the field and also the most robust lineage which can be easily cultured under laboratory conditions. In an attempt to better understand the traits and genetic backgrounds of closely related lineages in the phylum Placozoa, the genome and transcriptome of Trichoplax sp. H2 (strain “Panama”) were sequenced and compared to data from Trichoplax adhaerens.