Chromosomal-level genome assembly of Trypanosoma carassii, the etiologic agent of a recent outbreak of trypanosomiasis in cage-cultured large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) in China.

Trypanosoma carassii, a typical freshwater fish trypanosome, has recently been identified as the etiological agent of a trypanosomiasis outbreak in cage-cultured large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) in China and has been designated as T. c. larimichthys. To date, publicly available genomic data for trypanosomes have been limited to terrestrial species, particularly those of medical importance. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome assembly of T. carassii, the first genome of an aquatic trypanosome, generated using PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding technologies. A preliminary genome survey based on Illumina sequencing data estimated the genome size at 56.38 Mb with a heterozygosity of 1.17%. The final assembled genome spans 48.55 Mb, with contig N50 and scaffold N50 values of 139.15 Kb, and achieves 100.00% BUSCO completeness. Hi-C data resolved the assembly into 34 chromosomes and 9 unanchored scaffolds. Repetitive elements account for 53.29% of the genome (approximately 25.87 Mb). A total of 11,584 protein-coding genes were predicted, 95.36% of which were functionally annotated. Synonymous substitution rates analysis of paralogous genes indicates a recent burst of gene duplication, which likely corresponds to a whole-genome duplications. This high-quality genome assembly provides invaluable resources for understanding the evolution and host adaptation of aquatic trypanosomes.