Broad-toothed rat genome now available!

The Tooarrana, or broad-toothed rat (Mastacomys fuscus), is an Australian rodent that depends on Australian tussock grasses in alpine and sub-alpine areas. This has put the species at risk from climate change & bushfires.

The Oz Mammals Genomic Initiative, in collaboration with Museums Victoria, the DNA Zoo, Shanghai Tech University, and others, now announce the release of a draft genome assembly for this species, using Nanopore and Hi-C sequencing. This will provide a reference for future conservation genetics research.

OMG project lead Dr Kevin Rowe, from Museums Victoria, calls the broad-toothed rat “the Australian lemming”. Watch this video to find out why and learn more about this native Aussie rodent.