A look at trails through the pangenome visualization jungle

High-throughput sequencing technologies enabled the production of multiple reference genome sequences for a single species. Comparisons of such sequences showed that there are structural variations between individuals from the same species such as Copy Number Variations (CNV) and Presence Absence Variations (PAV) that can have a significant impact on phenotypic variation in plants and could be suitable for breeding improved crop varieties. Thus, a single reference genome is insufficient to capture all variations. Pangenomics is an integrative approach which aims to the assessment of such genomic variations and more within a group of closely related individuals. Its definition can focus on the whole repertoire of genes within a group or can include blocks of genomic sequences shared between species. We introduce here a new visualization tool, based on a linear representation: the PANgenome Analyzer with CHromosomal Exploration (PANACHE). It is a web-based application which enables its users to explore a pangenomic reference divided in multiple panchromosomes

Whole genome surveys of rice, maize and sorghum reveal multiple horizontal transfers of the LTR-retrotransposon Route66 in Poaceae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Horizontal transfers (HTs) refer to the transmission of genetic material between phylogenetically distant species. Although most of the cases of HTs described so far concern genes, there is increasing evidence that some involve transposable elements (TEs) in Eukaryotes. The availability of the full genome sequence of two cereal species, (<it>i.e</it>. rice and <it>Sorghum</it>), as well as the partial genome sequence of maize, provides the opportunity to carry out genome-wide searches for TE-HTs in <it>Poaceae</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have identified an LTR-retrotransposon, that we named <it>Route66</it>, with more than 95% sequence identity between rice and <it>Sorghum</it>. Using a combination of <it>in silico </it>and molecular approaches, we are able to present a substantial phylogenetic evidence that <it>Route66 </it>has been transferred horizontally between Panicoideae and several species of the genus <it>Oryza</it>. In addition, we show that it has remained active after these transfers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study constitutes a new case of HTs for an LTR-retrotransposon and we strongly believe that this mechanism could play a major role in the life cycle of transposable elements. We therefore propose to integrate classe I elements into the previous model of transposable element evolution through horizontal transfers.</p

Ten simple rules for developing visualization tools in genomics

Our following 10 simple rules are dedicated to biologists and bioinformaticians who, while already being at the crossroads of many fields, want to venture further into the land of Data Visualization (“datavis” or “dataviz” for short). They combine tips and advice that we would have wanted when we first started our own journeys, gathered from our experiences in building genomic and/or datavis tools, and the time spent with related communities. Additionally, they address current challenges in computational biology and the needs of the community