High-Quality Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly: Blacktip Trevally

High-Quality Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly: Blacktip Trevally

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nucleome Informatics and ICAR-CIBA Deliver Another High-Quality Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly: Blacktip Trevally (Caranx heberi)

Hyderabad / Chennai, India

Nucleome Informatics Pvt. Ltd., in collaboration with scientists from the ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai, is pleased to announce the publication of a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly and full-length transcriptome of the blacktip trevally (Caranx heberi) in Scientific Data (Nature Portfolio).

Blacktip trevally is a commercially valuable carangid fish with strong potential for brackishwater aquaculture, prized for its fast growth, high market value, and excellent nutritional profile. Until now, limited genomic resources have constrained research into its biology, domestication, and genetic improvement.

Using a multi-platform strategy—PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing (135× coverage), Illumina short reads (150×), and Hi-C chromatin conformation data (180×)—the team generated a highly contiguous reference genome of 618.71 Mb assembled into 159 scaffolds with an N50 of 26.72 Mb. Remarkably, 24 chromosome-scale scaffolds account for 97.5% of the assembly. The genome contains approximately 20.94% repetitive elements and 30,354 predicted protein-coding genes. Complementary full-length transcriptomes generated via PacBio Iso-Seq from seven tissues (gill, kidney, liver, muscle, heart, spleen, and intestine) further strengthen gene annotation and functional insights.

This resource will accelerate studies on captive maturation, spawning, nutritional traits, ecological adaptation, and evolutionary biology of C. heberi, while supporting broader efforts in carangid aquaculture genomics.

Nucleome Informatics congratulates the ICAR-CIBA team on yet another outstanding high-quality genome assembly. This success builds on previous collaborative achievements, including the chromosome-level assembly of goldlined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba), and underscores the growing strength of Indian aquaculture genomics research.

We are proud to have contributed advanced long-read sequencing expertise to this important work and look forward to continued partnership in generating reference-quality genomes for species of national importance.

About Nucleome Informatics
Nucleome Informatics is a leading Indian genomics and bioinformatics company specializing in high-quality de novo genome assembly, long-read sequencing (PacBio and Oxford Nanopore), and end-to-end solutions for non-model organisms, aquaculture species, and precision applications.

Media Contact
info @ nucleomeinfo.com / website: www.nucleomeinfo.com]

Publication
Shekhar et al. Chromosome level genome assembly and full-length transcriptome of blacktip trevally (Caranx heberi). Scientific Data (2026). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-026-07782-3