Comparative Genomics involving Ceriantharia and Zoantharia

• Grant number: 25/13046-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Sérgio Nascimento Stampar
• Grantee: Giovanna Maria Amaral Andrade
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cnidarian anthozoans from the groups Ceriantharia (tube anemones) and Zoantharia (zoanthids) are evolutionarily understudied groups with relatively limited genomic data. The primary objective of this research project is to generate high-quality genomes for Ceriantharia and Zoantharia. Despite their ecological and phylogenetic importance, these two Anthozoa cnidarian groups remain underrepresented in molecular studies. The scarcity and fragmentation of existing genomic data currently limit a deeper understanding of these organisms. To achieve this goal, the research will utilize Illumina sequencing and advanced bioinformatics tools. The process will include rigorous data pre-processing, encompassing quality control, adapter trimming, error correction, and exogenous DNA decontamination. Subsequently, both mitogenomes and nuclear genomes will be assembled, aiming for high continuity and completeness. A priority step will be genomic annotation, identifying both single-copy genes (uniquetoma) and repetitive elements (repeatoma). Finally, comparative phylogenetic analyses will be performed using orthologous genes to refine the evolutionary position of these groups within Cnidaria and to unravel their diversification relationships. The expected results include the public release of robust and accessible genomic assemblies, which will serve as a solid molecular foundation for future investigations into the evolution, phylogeny, and adaptation of cnidarians, particularly Anthozoa. (AU)