Enchytraeids (Annelida) are soil invertebrates with worldwide distribution that have served as ecotoxicology models for over 20 years. We present the first high-quality reference genome of Enchytraeus crypticus, assembled from a combination of Pacific Bioscience single-molecule real-time and Illumina sequencing platforms as a 525.2 Mbp genome (910 gapless scaffolds and 18,452 genes). We highlight isopenicillin, acquired by horizontal gene transfer and conferring antibiotic function. Significant gene family expansions associated with regeneration (long interspersed nuclear elements), the innate immune system (tripartite motif-containing protein) and response to stress (cytochrome P450) were identified. The ACE (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) — a homolog of ACE2, which is involved in the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 cell entry — is also present in E. crypticus. There is an obvious potential of using E. crypticus as a model to study interactions between regeneration, the innate immune system and aging-dependent decline.

Enchytraeids (Annelida) 是全球分布的土壤无脊椎动物，已作为生态毒理学模型使用了 20 多年。我们提出了第一个高质量的Enchytraeus crypticus参考基因组，由 Pacific Bioscience 单分子实时和 Illumina 测序平台组合而成的 525.2 Mbp 基因组（910 个无间隙支架和 18,452 个基因）。我们强调异青霉素，通过水平基因转移获得并赋予抗生素功能。确定了与再生（长散布的核元件）、先天免疫系统（含三部分基序的蛋白质）和对应激的反应（细胞色素 P450）相关的显着基因家族扩展。ACE（血管紧张素转换酶）——一种与冠状病毒 SARS-CoV-2 细胞进入有关的 ACE2 的同源物——也存在于隐匿大肠杆菌中。使用E. crypticus有明显的潜力作为研究再生、先天免疫系统和衰老依赖性衰退之间相互作用的模型。