A sequencing project to unlock the biotechnological potential of euglenoids
Founded in 2020, the International Euglena Network (EIN) is a global consortium of hundreds of scientists from around the world whose collective goal is to support euglenoid science through collaborative and integrative omics between academia and industry.
EIN (https://euglenanetwork.org/) published a position paper today Biology Openjob description for a collaborative effort to generate high-quality reference genomes for the approximately 1,000 known euglenoid species.
Euglenoids are part of the group protists, which contain eukaryotic organisms that do not fit into the groups animals, plants, or fungi. These diverse single-celled organisms are found in a wide range of ecosystems around the world.
Several types of euglenoids have promising translational applications such as biofuels, nutrients, bioremediation, cancer treatment, and even robotic design simulators.
Their great potential has been largely untapped due to the lack of high-quality reference genomes.
Euglenoid genomes pose a particular sequence problem because they are an example of secondary endosymbiosis—the mitochondria, chloroplasts, and remnants of the organisms’ genetic material that wrapped around them to obtain these organelles.
Their great potential has been largely untapped due to the lack of high-quality reference genomes.
Euglenoid genomes pose a particular sequence problem because they are an example of secondary endosymbiosis—the mitochondria, chloroplasts, and remnants of the organisms’ genetic material that wrapped around them to obtain these organelles.
As a result, less than 20 species have been studied at all levels for translational potential through genomics. EIN believes that the time has come to address this issue.
By generating high-quality reference genomes for known euglenoid species, the EIN will work to:
- Understand the basic biology of euglenoids
- Understanding the evolution of euglenoids
- Maximum application of euglenoids in ecological and environmental management
- Research, translate and market euglenoid products
Data collected by EIN will be freely accessible to the scientific community through the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA). Genomes annotated in ENA can be imported into resources such as Ensembl Protists and made available to research communities in a consistent and FAIR manner.
Dr ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer, EIN Founding Chair and Bioinformatics Specialist at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) UK, said: “The Euglena International Network will play an important role in bringing euglenoid experts together to increase our understanding of euglenoid biology. its translation applications. This could be useful for furthering our understanding of the evolution of parasitism, social games, the development of jet fuels, or support for human space exploration.
Professor Neil Hall, Chair of the EIN Scientific Committee and Director of the Earlham Institute, said: “It is extremely rare to find an organism so versatile that it has potential roles in food production, biofuel production, robotics engineering and drug development. – and many other applications are possible. Generating reference genomes is the first step in understanding these remarkable organisms so that we can realize their biotechnological potential.
Dr. Masami Nakazawa, EIN Scientific Committee Member and Senior Lecturer at Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan, said: “EIN has already stimulated collaboration in the euglenoid community, where I have been involved in interesting projects related to energy exchange. euglenoids, including genomic information, will contribute to human well-being through biotechnology in addition to basic science.”
Dr Anna Karnkowska, member of the EIN scientific committee and associate professor at the University of Warsaw, said: “The unique genomic features and the presence of secondary plastids in euglenoids make them an important group for understanding the evolution of eukaryotes and their endosymbiotic organelles. Genomic data will clarify the evolutionary history of euglenoids and further investigate their biology. It is important to prepare experiments for
Dr. Eric W. Linton, member of EIN’s scientific committee, past president of the Phycological Society of America (PSA), and professor at Central Michigan University, USA, said: “The genomic data we have obtained for euglenoids reveals their genomes and biochemical/metabolic pathways, in many cases, of bacteria. , composed of genes from different sources such as red and green algae. This chimera of the genome can provide us with rare information about the evolution, organization and regulation of the genome.
The Euglena International Network is a network affiliated with the Earth BioGenome Project and the International Society of Protistologists.
