Dovetail Genomics Holds Workshop Today at Plant & Animal Genomes Conference in San Diego on Completion of the Nicobar Pigeon Genome

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Jan. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dovetail Genomics LLC today announced a workshop Monday evening at the 2016 Plant & Animal Genomes Conference (PAG) in San Diego on its collaboration with the University of California-Santa Cruz (UCSC) to sequence the Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) genome.

As the closest living relative of the extinct dodo (Raphus cuculattus), the Nicobar genome provides an essential tool for interpreting the genetic basis of dodo bird traits. Using its proprietary Chicago^TM method and HiRise^TM assembly pipeline (see October 20, 2015 announcement), Dovetail produced a reference quality Nicobar genome assembly from scratch in two weeks.

Workshop Details
Workshop: "Bigger, Better Genomes: The Dovetail Approach to Genome Assembly"
Date: Monday, January 11, 2016
Time: 6:10-8:20 p.m.
Location: 2016 Plant & Animal Genomes Conference, Town & Country Hotel, San Diego
Room: Royal Palm Salon 1-2

The Nicobar pigeon genome de novo assembly project was completed in collaboration with Beth Shapiro, associate professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, UCSC, who will present the results during Dovetail's Monday evening workshop.

"We were thrilled with the speed and quality of the results," said Shapiro, who is using the Nicobar assembly as a reference genome for studying ancient DNA derived from the dodo as well as the closely related and also extinct solitaire pigeon (Pezophaps solitaria). "Having a high-quality reference genome from a closely related species is imperative in paleogenomics. With the Nicobar genome as a reference, we're recovering more than twice the amount of data vs. what we saw using more distant genomes. This genome will make it possible for us to test our hypotheses about the unusual traits of these extinct birds, such as loss of flight and retention of juvenile morphology into adulthood."

"Dovetail's Chicago method and HiRise assembly pipeline allow us to leverage short read sequencing to capture long-range genomic information.  We are consistently producing genome assemblies with average scaffold lengths greater than 10 Mbp – a real advantage to any genomics investigation," said Todd Dickinson, Dovetail's CEO. "When Dr. Shapiro approached us with the Nicobar project in late 2015, we were excited to put our assembly services to the test, and we couldn't be more pleased with the result. Not only did we generate a reference-quality assembly suitable for paleogenomic studies, but we did so in record time – the entire process, from receipt of tissue sample to delivery of the final assembly took only two weeks."

Dovetail's workshop at PAGXXIV will also feature presentations from Richard Michelmore of the University of California-Davis, who will discuss Dovetail's assembly of the lettuce (Lactuca sativa) genome; and Peter Baumann of the Stowers Institute, who will describe how Dovetail genome assemblies of three whiptail lizard species are helping his lab understand parthenogenesis. In addition to the Dovetail-sponsored workshop, several other customers will present their Dovetail results in PAGXXIV scientific sessions. A complete schedule of Dovetail-related activities and presentations at the conference can be found here.

About Dovetail Genomics
Dovetail Genomics LLC is transforming genomics by making long-range information readily accessible to all. The company enables researchers and clinicians to solve complex problems involving de novo assembly, structural variation, microbiome analysis, cancer research, phasing analysis and more by providing them a more comprehensive view of the genome. Its proprietary in vitro proximity ligation approach simplifies genomic discovery by integrating the highest quality long-range genomic information with next-gen sequencing output. Dovetail is based in Santa Cruz, California. For more information on Dovetail, its technology and service offerings, visit dovetailgenomics.com. Follow Dovetail on Twitter @DTGenomics.

SOURCE Dovetail Genomics LLC

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