Onchocerca volvulus (Nematode, O. volvulus Cameroon isolate) Assembly and Gene Annotation

NOTE: The genome sequence and annotation for O. volvulus are updated in Ensembl Metazoa approximately once per year. The data here correspond with WormBase WS279. For the latest genome and annotation, please visit WormBase ParaSite (for an Ensembl-oriented view), or WormBase.

About Onchocerca volvulus

Onchocerca volvulus is a gonochoristic filarial nematode parasite of humans causing Onchocerciasis. Onchocerciasis, or River Blindness, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which affects over 37 million people, mainly in Africa. It is a severely debilitating disease, which is transmitted to humans by the bite of Simulium blackflies that live and breed near fast-flowing streams and rivers.

• O. volvulus resources at WormBase ParaSite.
• O. volvulus resources at WormBase.
• O. volvulus resources at the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
• Information on onchocerciasis from the CDC.
• African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC).

Picture credit: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons (Image source)

Assembly

The reference genome for Onchocerca volvulus has been produced by the Berriman lab as part of the 50 Helminth Genomes Initiative. A combination of deep sequencing and optical mapping was used on material from a single adult worm from the Republic of Cameroon.

Annotation

The Berriman lab have collaborated with WormBase to produce first pass annotation of the genome, using MAKER. WormBase has since taken on responsibility for the manual curation of the gene set, and WormBase curators have made numerous improvements to the gene models. The annotation version shown here corresponds with WormBase Release WS279. We welcome feedback from the Onchocerca community in order to help identify and prioritise curation targets. Suggests for curation targets should be sent to help@wormbase.org.

References

1. The genome of Onchocerca volvulus, agent of river blindness.
   Cotton JA, Bennuru S, Grote A, Harsha B, Tracey A, Beech R, Doyle SR, Dunn M, Hotopp JC, Holroyd N, Kikuchi T, Lambert O, Mhashilkar A, Mutowo P, Nursimulu N, Ribeiro JM, Rogers MB, Stanley E, Swapna LS, Tsai IJ, Unnasch TR, Voronin D, Parkinson J, Nutman TB, Ghedin E, Berriman M, Lustigman S. 2016. Nat Microbiol, 2016;2():16216

Links

• O. volvulus resources at WormBase ParaSite.
• O. volvulus resources at WormBase.