# Telomere-to-telomere reference genome of the common five-lined skink, Plestiodon fasciatus (Squamata: Scincidae)

## TL;DR

This paper presents the first complete genome for the common five-lined skink, a lizard species in the eastern U.S., offering insights into its genetic makeup and evolutionary biology.

## Contribution

The study provides the first telomere-to-telomere chromosome-level genome for a skink species, Plestiodon fasciatus, with high completeness and detailed annotations.

## Key findings

- The genome includes 6 macrochromosome pairs and 7 microchromosome pairs with 98% of BUSCO genes represented.
- Transposable elements make up 46.7% of the genome and show conservation across the Scincidae family.
- Functional annotation identified 32,520 protein-coding genes with an average length of 9,372 base pairs.

## Abstract

Although the publication of high-quality reference genomes is steadily increasing, many clades remain chronically neglected. Skinks (order, Squamata; family, Scincidae) are one of the most diverse lizard families (1,785 species), yet there are currently just six published chromosome-level skink genomes. Here, we present the first telomere-to-telomere, chromosome-level reference genome for one of the most abundant lizards in the eastern United States, the common five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus). Through the sequencing of RNA, long-read DNA, and Hi-C chromatin interactions, we produced an annotated reference genome (N50 = 227MB, L50 = 3) consisting of 6 macrochromosome pairs and 7 microchromosome pairs with 98% of BUSCO genes represented (lineage, Sauropsida; 7480 BUSCO markers), providing one of the most complete skink genomes to date: rPleFas1.1. Functional annotation predicts 32,520 protein-coding genes (16,100 unique, named genes) with an average gene length of 9,372 bp. Repeat annotations estimate that transposable elements comprise 46.7% of the genome, for which we show the amount and content is remarkably conserved across Scincidae.