The telomere-to-telomere gap-free reference genome and taxonomic reassessment of <i>Siniperca roulei</i>

Siniperca roulei is primarily distributed in the eastern waters of China, with its population being both scarce and vulnerable. Research on this species remains limited, with few studies conducted on its biology and genetics, which hampers efforts to conserve its germplasm resources. To support breeding and conservation efforts, we generated a gap-free genome assembly using a combination of DNBSeq short reads, PacBio HiFi long reads, Nanopore ultra-long reads, and Hi-C data. The nearly telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome of S. roulei spans 717.34 Mb, with a contig N50 of 30.25 Mb, and each chromosome is represented by a single contig. A total of 26,596 genes were predicted, with 87.97% functionally annotated. These high-precision genomic data provide valuable insights into the germplasm resources of S. roulei, offering crucial information for clarifying the taxonomic status and evolutionary history of sinipercids. These findings are significant for the conservation and sustainable use of its germplasm resources.