Draft genome of the Crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans elegans), an Australian parrot and key resource for the study of host-pathogen interaction in Psittaciformes

The Crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans) is a common parrot of Australia, and most individuals are infected with Beak and Feather Disease Virus (BFDV). In other parrot species, the virus can cause feather loss, beak deformities, immune suppression and mortality. All parrots globally are considered susceptible to the virus and thus there are sizable conservation benefits from better understanding of its host-pathogen interactions and evolution, particularly because parrots are already among the most threatened bird taxa globally. The draft genome reported here is both a valuable scientific resource for the study of evolution and adaptation in parrots, and more broadly, a resource for avian conservation, by facilitating the study of host-pathogen interactions from a genomic perspective.