De novo genome assembly of Yanbian cattle using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C combined with RNA-seq data

Abstract Yanbian cattle are a native cattle breed originating from the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province, northeastern China. Developed over centuries through natural and artificial selection under cold climatic conditions, this breed is highly adapted to harsh environments, including low temperatures, rugged terrain, and sparse forage. Here, we constructed a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly for Yanbian cattle using HiFi, Hi-C and RNA-seq data. The genome sequence was anchored to 30 chromosomes, with a total genome length of 2.8 Gb, a contig N50 of 86.41 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 111.08 Mb. Short-read data showed the average 99.56% mapping ratio to the assembly, validating base-level accuracy. Also, 93% complete BUSCOs verified the integrity of the assembled genome. 51.94% repetitive elements of the genome and 20,421 protein-coding genes were annotated. This Yanbian cattle genome serves as an indispensable resource for bovine genomic studies and local breed conservation, enabling both evolutionary insights and genetic characteristic analyses.