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ABSTRACT The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP;thegep.org) is a collaboration of more than 260 faculty from over 200 colleges and universities across the continental United States and Puerto Rico, all of whom are engaged in bringing Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) centered in genomics and bioinformatics to their students. The purpose of the GEP-CURE is to ensure all undergraduate students have access to research experiences in genomics, regardless of the funding and resources available at their institutions. The GEP community provides many resources to facilitate implementation of the genomics curriculum at collaborating institutions, including extensive support for both faculty and undergraduate students. Faculty receive training to implement the curriculum, ongoing professional development, access to updated curriculum, and a community of practitioners. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the GEP developed a virtual learning assistant (LA) program to provide real-time support in GEP activities and research to all students, regardless of their institution, while they were participating in the GEP-CURE. A mixed-methods descriptive study was conducted about this program and draws from quantitative data gathered about the scope and use of the program, as well as the value of the program, as indicated by the undergraduates themselves from their post-course survey responses. Additionally, seven LAs who served in this role between 2021 and 2023 participated in interviews to help the GEP better understand how this resource was used by GEP students, the needs of the students, and to identify the conditions in which this resource could be replicated in other courses. 

Abstract Flow cytometry estimates of genome sizes among species of Drosophila show a 3-fold variation, ranging from ∼127 Mb in Drosophila mercatorum to ∼400 Mb in Drosophila cyrtoloma. However, the assembled portion of the Muller F element (orthologous to the fourth chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster) shows a nearly 14-fold variation in size, ranging from ∼1.3 Mb to >18 Mb. Here, we present chromosome-level long-read genome assemblies for 4 Drosophila species with expanded F elements ranging in size from 2.3 to 20.5 Mb. Each Muller element is present as a single scaffold in each assembly. These assemblies will enable new insights into the evolutionary causes and consequences of chromosome size expansion. 

Gene model for the ortholog of gigas (gig) in the May 2011 (Agencourt dmoj_caf1/DmojCAF1) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000005175.1 ) of Drosophila mojavensis. This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. 

Gene model for the ortholog of Regulator of cullins 1a (Roc1a) in the May 2011 (Broad dper_caf1/DperCAF1) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000005195.1 ) of Drosophila persimilis. This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. 

Gene model for the ortholog of rapamycin-insensitive companion of Tor (rictor) in the May 2011 (Agencourt dana_caf1/DanaCAF1) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000005115.1 ) of Drosophila ananassae. This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. 

Gene model for the ortholog of glycogen synthase (Glys) in the Drosophia busckii Sep. 2015 (UC Berkeley ASM127793v1/DbusGB1) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_001277935.1 ). This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. 

Gene model for the ortholog of well-rounded (wrd) in the May 2011 (Agencourt dana_caf1/DanaCAF1) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000005115.1 ) of Drosophila ananassae. This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. 

Gene model for the ortholog of Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (Pdk1) in the May 2011 (Agencourt dgri_caf1/DgriCAF1) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000005155.1 ) of Drosophila grimshawi. This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. 

Gene model for the ortholog of Regulator of cullins 1a (Roc1a) in the Drosophila eugracilis Apr. 2013 (BCM-HGSC/Deug_2.0, DeugGB2) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000236325.2). This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences. 

Gene model for the ortholog of Regulator of cullins 1a (Roc1a) in the Drosophila mojavensis May 2011 (Agencourt dmoj_caf1/DmojCAF1) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000005175.1 ). This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences.