Whole Genome Assembly of the Gulf Coast Tick \u3ci\u3eAmblyomma maculatum\u3c/i\u3e

Abstract

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) involve classes of students addressing real-world research questions without pre-defined outcomes. BIOL380/381, Research in Pathogen Biology (RiP-Bio), was designed as an advanced CURE for 300-level Biology students at ODU. In this cycle of RiP-Bio, we are sequencing and assembling the whole genome of Amblyomma maculatum, the Gulf Coast tick. The current assembly of the genome is incomplete, as we have only short Illumina reads that do not fully assemble. We are using published mRNA sequences from the A. maculatum transcriptome to scaffold the incomplete assembly, and create primers for gap closure of important genes. Assembled genes will be deposited for use by others in Genbank