Toward the massive genome of Proteus anguinus-illuminating longevity, regeneration, convergent evolution, and metabolic disorders

Deciphering the genetic code of organisms with unusual phenotypes can help answer fundamental biological questions and provide insight into mechanisms relevant to human biomedical research. The cave salamander Proteus anguinus (Urodela: Proteidae), also known as the olm, is an example of a species with unique morphological and physiological adaptations to its subterranean environment, including regenerative abilities, resistance to prolonged starvation, and a life span of more than 100 years. However, the structure and sequence of the olm genome is still largely unknown owing to its enormous size, estimated at nearly 50 gigabases. An international Proteus Genome Research Consortium has been formed to decipher the olm genome. This perspective provides the scientific and biomedical rationale for exploring the olm genome and outlines potential outcomes, challenges, and methodological approaches required to analyze and annotate the genome of this unique amphibian.

Automated summary

Deciphering the genetic code of the cave salamander Proteus anguinus, also known as the olm, can help answer biological questions and provide insight into adaptive mechanisms. The formation of an international Proteus Genome Research Consortium aims to decode the large genome of the olm, which is challenging but promising for important outcomes.