Sequencing and Assembling the Genome of Przewalski’s Horse in the Classroom.

This research paper covers a classroom experiment where students successfully sequenced and assembled the genome of the endangered Przewalski’s horse, using cost-effective methods and materials. The resulting genome information outperforms the previous data and competes with the domestic horse genome, EquCab3.0.

Sequencing and Assembling the Genome in the Classroom

• The article recounts the author’s experience teaching students how to sequence and assemble a genome, using the Przewalski’s horse as the subject.
• The Przewalski’s horse, a rare and endangered species, was selected for this experiment due to its scientific importance.
• With a budget of only $4000 for materials, using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing, the students produced a high-quality genome for the horse species.
• This process was brought into the classroom as a hands-on learning experience for students which, the author asserts, can offer new reference genomes and genomics expertise to the scientific community.

Outcomes of Genome Assembly

• Other than the primary genome, the class also assembled the mitochondrial genome, sequence variants, predicted gene annotations, and discovered the DNA methylation levels of the Przewalski’s horse.
• Statistically, the newly assembled genome considerably outperforms the previous Przewalski’s horse assembly and is at par with the domestic horse genome, EquCab3.0.
• This success is viewed as a significant achievement considering the previous lack of an extensively detailed reference genome for this species.

Role of Students in Genome Assembly

• The methods for sequencing and assembly were simplified and conveyed in a markdown format to be easily followed by the students in the classroom.
• All the students who participated in the genome assembly were credited as authors on the resulting manuscript, acknowledging their important contribution in this scientific breakthrough.
• Such experiments in the classroom form an integral part of practical learning, demonstrating that students can contribute to significant research with proper guidance and resources.