For Genome Sequencing Submission:

We are resubmitting as an attachment a white paper requesting an 8-fold coverage draft genome sequence for the opisthobranch mollusc, Aplysia californica. As described in the proposal, Aplysia is a major model organism for studies in cellular, molecular and behavioral neuroscience, integrative physiology and system biology. It is also ideally placed taxonomically to serve as an important organism for comparative genomics. Access to the genome sequence will provide a stimulus to the already large and dynamic Aplysia community to carry out previously intractable studies in the areas of metazoan evolution, developmental biology, neuroscience and human health. That they are anxious for this is attested to by the more than three dozen major laboratories working with Aplysia and related molluscs, who have sent supporting letters or agreed to have their names attached to this document. This proposal was written in collaboration with Drs. Lander and Birren from the sequencing center (WI-CGR) at MIT, and was vetted by major investigators in neurobiology, genomics, and related model systems, who have also sent letters of support.