The Generation of a High-Quality De Novo Genome Assembly for the Galapagos Endemic Lava Gull Using Oxford Nanopore Technologies

High quality reference genomes permit deeper investigation into the evolution of species and provide insight into species management and conservation. Next generation sequencing technologies, such as Oxford Nanopore Technologies, allow researchers to generate high-accuracy long-read genetic data in real-time from anywhere in the world, increasing accessibility to sequence data. The lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus), an endemic bird species of the Galapagos archipelago, is the rarest gull in the world, with an estimated population of 300 to 600 individuals. Little genetic research has been done on this species due to its solitary nature and small population size. Our study aims to sequence and assemble a chromosomal level reference genome for the lava gull in the Galapagos Islands. We prepared a library from an adult female lava gull using the Oxford Nanopore Ultra Long DNA Sequencing Kit and sequenced using a PromethION 2 Solo. Initial sequencing generated 1.78 million reads, consisting of 29.56 gigabases, with a mean Q score of 17.8 at an estimated 22x coverage. Our final assembly had a total length of 1.31 Gbp, with 559 contigs and an N50 of 42.7 megabases. The generation of a high quality whole genome for the lava gull is an important step for investigation into the phylogeography and population genetics of the species.