Lessons from a long-read assembly of a North American aphid

Aphids (Aphididae) are common plant pests whose hosts range from household gardens, ornamentals, and major agricultural crops. To better understand how these insects became such effective pests we can study characteristics of their DNA that will shed light their evolutionary success. The development of long-read sequencing technology has increased completeness and accuracy of genome assembly for such studies. We present a genome assembly for Nearctaphis clydesmithi who’s primary hosts are Crataegus members of the Maloideae (Apple family). We use this assembly to identify potential aphid symbionts and determine synteny of key gene families. This assembly will allow us to identify key genomic differences in Neacrctaphis from other aphid lineages and place them in an evolutionary context.