The tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier (Peron & Lesueur, 1822), genome reveals genomic and epigenomic signatures of shark evolution and demographic history

A chromosome-scale, haplotype-phased reference genome for the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier provides the first evidence of male heterogamety in this species.

• Why it matters: Genomic resources are limited for many long-lived, conservation-relevant sharks, even though chondrichthyans persist for over 450 million years and the tiger shark is declining.
• What they did: The team built the first chromosome-scale haplotype-phased genome and combined comparative and population genomics with methylomics, including a hydroxymethylome characterization.
• The result: They found lineage-specific transposable element expansions in Carcharhiniform sharks, a hydroxymethylome higher than other vertebrates, and genomic signatures of prolonged decline linked to historical climate fluctuations.

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