Draft Genome of Hirudo medicinalis — BMC Genomics
Complete genomic resource for the medicinal leech with functional annotation
Summary
Draft genome assembly of Hirudo medicinalis published in BMC Genomics, providing extensive functional annotation and gene prediction. Complementary to the chromosome-level assembly in Scientific Reports, this resource offers deeper gene-level analysis including salivary gland-expressed gene families.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
Expands the genomic toolkit available for leech research beyond the chromosome-level assembly. The functional annotations enable identification of candidate therapeutic genes and inform comparative genomics across leech species used in clinical practice.
Citation
Added to ASH library: March 18, 2026 · Site last updated: March 18, 2026