Abstract
Parhyale hawaiensis is a blossoming model system for studies of developmental mechanisms and more recently adult regeneration. We have sequenced the genome allowing annotation of all key signaling pathways, small non-coding RNAs and transcription factors that will enhance ongoing functional studies. Parhayle is a member of the Malacostraca, which includes crustacean food crop species. We analysed the immunity related genes of Parhyale as an important comparative system for these species, where immunity related aquaculture problems have increased as farming has intensified. We also find that Parhyale and other species within Multicrustacea contain the enzyme sets necessary to perform lignocellulose digestion (wood eating), suggesting this ability may predate the diversification of this lineage. Our data provide an essential resource for further development of the Parhyale model. The first Malacostracan genome sequence will underpin ongoing comparative work in important food crop species and research investigating lignocellulose as energy source.
Author information These authors contributed equally to this work: Damian Kao, Alvina G. Lai, Evangelia Stamataki. These authors also contributed equally: Anastasios Pavlopoulos, A. Aziz Aboobaker Author contributions All authors were involved in Conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and inter-pretation of data, Drafting or revising the article.
Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests
Fundings AAA and co-workers are funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Reserarch Council (BBSRC grant number BB/K007564/1), the Medical Research Council (MRC grant number MR/M000133/1) and the John Fell Fund Oxford University Press (OUP). AGL receives funding from an HFSP post-doctoral fellowship and the Elizabeth and Hannah Jenkinson Research Fund. NHP and co-workers are funded by NSF grant IOS-1257379. AP and co-workers are funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. PS and co-workers are funded by the Medical Research council (MRC MC-A652-5PZ80) and an Imperial College Research Fellowship too PS. MA and colleagues received funding from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (France), grant ANR-12-CHEX-0001-01. The funding bodies had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
