Webinar: Assembling high-quality genomes to solve nature’s mysteries

In this webinar, Barbara Block of Stanford University and Paul Peluso of PacBio describe how plant and animal whole genome sequencing remains a challenging endeavor, particularly due to genome size, high density of repetitive elements, and heterozygosity. Because of this, often only a single, fragmented reference genome is available for a species, genus, or even family, limiting the ability to answer important biological questions. Looking at the trends in genome assembly and annotation over the past year, such as pan-genomes and phasing, this webinar explores how Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT) Sequencing is utilized to develop long-lasting genomic resources, supporting research that fuels breeding programs, informs industrial product development, and shapes our understanding of life on Earth. They then dive into the world of bluefin tuna biology to explore how sequencing the genomes of different populations of bluefin tuna may help protect this sushi delicacy from overfishing.