Comparative genomics of unculturable marine flagellates: new insights using Co-assembled single-amplified genomes from the MAST-4 group

Motivation: Previous Co-assemblies of marine microeukaryotic flagellates MAST-4 (clades A and E) based on single-cell MDA data may present DNA contamination from other eukaryotes or prokaryotes which has proven to be difficult to detect. Decontaminated assemblies are needed in order to study the role of these relatively abundant and ubiquitous organisms in the ocean, as well as to determine their genomic composition. Comparative genomics can help linking gene composition and ecological success in MAST-4 as well as to determine the degree of genomic differentiation between clades A and E. Results: We have been able to detect and remove traces of contaminant DNA. Afterwards, our comparative genomic studies showed how both protists have similar functional metabolic routes that link them to their environment. Yet, at the same time, our analyses showed a significant degree of divergence at the protein and whole genome level, indicating that they are evolutionary more distant than expected