Genome Sequencing of the nematode Rhabditoides inermis

Nematode model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus pacificus are promising subjects for evolutionary biology as the function of individual genes can be studied at a mechanistic level. To complement experimental studies of functional conservation and divergence with a broad phylogenomic context, we chose to sequence the genome of the nematode Rhabditoides inermis, which is a member of Rhabditidae family, just like C. elegans. In addition, previous phylogenetic studies suggested that it could be the sister group to the family Diplogastridae to which P. pacificus belongs. To obtain a high quality genome assembly of R. inermis, we sequenced its genome using the PacBio platform. The resulting data not only contains nematode sequences but also capture the complex microbial environment on which nematodes were grown, including multiple bacteria and a fungus of the genus Vanrija. Here, we report the results of the sequencing of the R. inermis genome from a complex microbial community.