Authors
Dodge, T. O., Ernst, M., Oliver, P., Blom, M. P. K.
Abstract
Due to the sparse and uneven availability of genomic resources, it remains challenging to appraise genomic attributes for species of conservation concern. While long-read sequencing enables assessment of genetic diversity at unprecedented scale, accessing high-quality tissues remains a challenge for non-model species. Here, we explore an alternative sampling strategy for tissues where "gold-standard" cryopreservation is infeasible. Focusing on the Australian scincid lizard Cryptoblepharus pulcher, we compare DNA obtained from various ethanol-preserved tissue types and DNA extraction kits, and ask whether high-molecular weight DNA can still be retrieved. PacBio HiFi sequencing of the most promising sample yielded a highly contiguous reference-level assembly, validating this approach in vertebrates, specifically lizards. After scaffolding the assembly to chromosome-level, we then used a comparative approach to shed light on the evolution and demise of C. egeriae, a closely related, now Extinct-in-the-Wild species. Surprisingly, despite being a wide-spread continental analogue with a similar ecology, C. pulcher has lower genetic diversity and long-term historical population size than C. egeriae, an island endemic. However, C. pulcher also shows fewer runs-of-homozygosity, supporting prior reports that C. egeriae experienced recent inbreeding. Together, these findings demonstrate that a practical and cost-effective preservation strategy can still yield high-quality genomic resources in vertebrates, as well as valuable insights that are relevant in an age of biodiversity decline.
Preprint server:
bioRxiv
The authors list and abstract were imported from bioRxiv on 30 Aug 2026.
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