Reprint of: Sequencing and assembling the genome of Przewalski’s horse in the classroom.

The research presents a classroom experiment where students were able to sequence, assemble, and publish the genome for Przewalski’s horse with a budget of only $4000.

Objective of the Research

• The main objective of the paper was to detail the process and the experience of teaching genome assembly in a classroom setting. The ultimate aim was to demonstrate that it is now practical for students to sequence a genome, with the subject of the study being the Przewalski’s horse genome.

Methodology of the Research

• For this task, the students used Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing technique.
• The methodology was kept straightforward and was conveyed in markdown for comprehensive recording and use.

Results of the Research

• The result of the task was a high-quality genome for Przewalski’s horse, which also included the mitochondrial genome, sequence variants, predicted gene annotations, and DNA methylation levels.
• The results obtained significantly exceeded the previous Przewalski’s horse assembly and were at par with the genome of a domestic horse, EquCab3.0.

Outcomes and Value of the Research

• All students of the course became authors of the resulting manuscript, becoming a unique form of engaging learning experience.
• More broadly, by including genome assembly in academic curriculum, the paper suggests that it is possible to provide the double benefit of generating new reference genomes for the scientific community and simultaneously equipping students with practical genomics expertise.