Matt Berriman at the London Centre for NTD Research Anniversary Event 2021

Studies of genome wide nucleotide variation in schistosome populations are highlighting genomic regions under selection but interpretation is hampered by a poor basic characterisation of the genome. For Schistosoma mansoni, long-range sequencing and scaffolding approaches are proving transformative. I present the example of the sex chromosomes where sex-specific hundreds of candidate genes present key starting points for understanding sexual determination and development - attractive targets for developing future interventions. I also present recent progress in extending long-range assembly approaches across the Schistosoma genus. From the differences between species, we hope to identify genes associated with major adaptive changes in the evolution of different schistosome lineages.