A draft reference assembly of the Psilocybe cubensis genome
F1000Research – June 15, 2021
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A breakthrough in psychedelic research reveals the complete genome of the psychoactive *Psilocybe cubensis* mushroom. Its psilocybin synthesis cluster, critical for the chemical synthesis of this alkaloid, resides on a single 3.2Mb contig. This 46.6Mb genome, assembled into 32 contigs, offers a 97.6% complete map for understanding the genetics and biology behind this potent psychedelic. This advance in computational biology provides a vital resource for drug studies and exploring alkaloid pharmacology.
Abstract
We describe the use of high-fidelity single molecule sequencing to assemble the genome of the psychoactive Psilocybe cubensis mushroom. The genome is 46.6Mb, 46% GC, and in 32 contigs with an N50 of 3.3Mb. The BUSCO completeness scores are 97.6% with 1.2% duplicates. The Psilocybin synthesis cluster exists in a single 3.2Mb contig. The dataset is available from NCBI BioProject with accessions PRJNA687911 and PRJNA700437.