W15-008: Improving the Feline Reference Genome with PacBio sequencing, a continuation study

Sequencing of the cat genome has resulted in numerous breakthroughs in the understanding of feline genetic disease. DNA from the female Abyssinian cat, “Cinnamon”, who was used to create the original reference genome will be used to build a single library and generate 8X sequence coverage on the PacBio instrument. This process will help improve the reliability of the feline reference genome and bring it more in line with dog, human and mouse genomes. As a continuation of a funded project from Fall 2014, the results of this study will significantly increase the quality of the feline genome sequence assembly and also sequence the Y chromosome which is less than 10% complete. This new technology will fill gaps in genes and resolve a large number of duplicated gene regions into their proper structure and copies. The results of this study will significantly improve the quality of the feline genome assembly, and increase our ability to map genes that contribute to traits and diseases in different cat breeds. (Abyssinian Health Study)