T. Ryan Gregory
Genome 46: 841-844.
Abstract
The haploid genome sizes of two important
molluscs were
assessed by Feulgen image analysis densitometry. The genome size
of
the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), a prolific invader of
North
American lakes, was estimated to be 1C = 1.70pg ± 0.03, and that
of
the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata, the predominant
intermediate
vector of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni, was estimated
at
0.95pg ± 0.01. These estimates will be important in future
efforts
in molluscan genomics, which at present lags far behind work being
carried
out with vertebrate and arthropod models. B. glabrata in
particular,
which has one of the smallest known gastropod genomes, is recommended
as
a highly suitable target for future genome sequencing.