ERGA-BGE reference genome of the lineid heteronemertean(Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
Research article published in Open research Europe (2025)
Abstract
The reference genome of Lineus lacteus is a crucial resource for studying the genetic basis of novelty and the evolution of remarkable traits, such as regeneration and venom, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptability in marine intertidal ecosystems. Lineus lacteus belongs to the Nemertea, a phylum of worm-shaped animals comprising approximately 1,300 species within the Lophotrochozoa - a superphylum of animals including leeches, snails, and other invertebrates that is crucial to our understanding of bilaterian evolution. Despite their evolutionary and ecological relevance, genomic resources for the phylum Nemertea remain scarce. We assembled the entirety of the L. lacteus genome into 19 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 0.37 Gb, composed of 71 contigs and 27 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 8.9 Mb and 20.4 Mb, respectively.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
The reference genome ofis a crucial resource for studying the genetic basis of novelty and the evolution of remarkable traits, such as regeneration and venom, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptability in marine intertidal ecosystems.belongs to the Nemertea, a phylum of worm-shaped animals comprisin...
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This study reports a chromosome-level reference genome assembly for Lineus lacteus, which belongs to the phylum Nemertea, a group of worm-shaped animals. The assembly encompasses 0.37 Gb across 19 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 8.9 Mb and 20.4 Mb, respectively. The abstract notes that Nemertea, along with leeches and other invertebrates, belongs to the Lophotrochozoa superphylum relevant to bilaterian evolution. For ASH, this article has no defensible direct relevance: Lineus lacteus is not a leech, the study examines no leech species, and the sole mention of leeches is in a broad phylogenetic context. There is no content related to hirudotherapy, leech biology, or leech-derived compounds. Its connection to ASH's domain is negligible.
Citation
ERGA-BGE reference genome of the lineid heteronemertean(Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
Verdes A et al. · Open research Europe, 2025
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