Researchers from ICAR’s Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA), Chennai, have achieved a significant milestone by successfully sequencing and assembling the entire genome of the grey mullet species, Mugil Cephalus. This accomplishment holds immense promise for applications in genomic selection and fish breeding, aiming to enhance sustainable production and improve crucial traits such as disease resistance, growth, and development.
Mugil Cephalus, widely distributed across global waters, predominantly inhabits inshore seas, estuaries, and brackishwater areas. Recognized for its commercial significance in global fisheries and aquaculture, the fish is particularly sought after for its mullet roe.
The whole genome sequence of Mugil Cephalus marks a significant achievement, featuring a high-quality assembly at the contig level, consisting of 848 contigs with an N50 length of 20.15 Mb. At the scaffold level, the assembly extends to a length of 644 Mb across 583 scaffolds, with an N50 of 28.32 Mb. The fish genome encompasses 27,269 protein-coding genes.
This pioneering whole genome sequence assembly, a first for Mugil Cephalus, can serve as a reference genome for the Mugilidae family. The assembly’s quality, at the chromosome level, coupled with predicted protein sequences, facilitates insights into desirable traits through gene expression studies. The genome assembly provides essential baseline information, paving the way for implementing genetic improvement programs for this commercially significant fish species in the future.
The ICAR-CIBA scientist team involved in the fish genome assembly includes Dr. M.S. Shekhar, Dr. Vinaya Kumar Katneni, Dr. Ashok Kumar Jangam, Dr. Raymond Jani Angel, Dr. Krishna Sukumaran, and Dr. M. Kailasam. The genome sequencing project received financial support from ICAR-Consortium Research Platform on Genomics and was coordinated by Dr. J.K. Jena, DDG (Fisheries Science), ICAR, New Delhi.