14 July 2020
SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) has completed sequencing the genome of the Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) in collaboration with the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA, Rennes, France).
The final genome assembly is 594 million base pairs in size, comprised of 24 chromosomes, and contains 27,422 genes. The complete genome sequence has been deposited at the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) GenBank and is publicly available under the accession JABBIT000000000 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/JABBIT000000000).
Annotation of the Pacific halibut genome is also accessible under NCBI Hippoglossus stenolepis Annotation Release 100 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/annotation_euk/Hippoglossus_stenolepis/100/).
This resource will enable the IPHC Secretariat to integrate genomics (that is, high-resolution scientific approaches involving the complete genome sequence) into current and future research. In particular, the genome will be instrumental for understanding the genetic basis of many important life-history traits, including growth, reproductive performance, and migratory behavior, and to inform on potential influences on size-, maturity- and migration-at-age. The genome will also be important for integrating genomics into research conducted by the IPHC Secretariat on Pacific halibut spatial connectivity and stock structure.
The fully sequenced genome will enable the IPHC Secretariat to access fundamental genomic data on population dynamics and investigate marker genes for evidence of local or environmental adaptations.
This new avenue for IPHC research will focus on these and other specific questions to better inform management of the Pacific halibut stock.
IPHC Secretariat
International Pacific Halibut Commission
2320 W. Commodore Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98199-1287
206-634-1838 | www.iphc.int
