scholarly journals Insights into chloroplast genome variation across Opuntioideae (Cactaceae)

Author(s):  
Matias Köhler ◽  
Marcelo Reginato ◽  
Tatiana T. Souza-Chies ◽  
Lucas C. Majure

AbstractChloroplast genomes (plastomes) are frequently treated as highly conserved among land plants. However, many lineages of vascular plants have experienced extensive structural rearrangements, including inversions and modifications to the size and content of genes. Cacti are one of these lineages, containing the smallest plastome known for an obligately photosynthetic angiosperm, including the loss of one copy of the inverted repeat (∼25 kb) and the ndh genes suite, but only a few cacti from the subfamily Cactoideae have been sufficiently characterized. Here, we investigated the variation of plastome sequences across the second-major lineage of the Cactaceae, the subfamily Opuntioideae, to address 1) how variable is the content and arrangement of chloroplast genome sequences across the subfamily, and 2) how phylogenetically informative are the plastome sequences for resolving major relationships among the clades of Opuntioideae. Our de novo assembly of the Opuntia quimilo plastome recovered an organelle of 150,347 bp in length with both copies of the inverted repeats and the presence of all the ndh genes suite. An expansion of the large single copy unit and a reduction of the small single copy was observed, including translocations and inversion of genes as well as the putative pseudogenization of numerous loci. Comparative analyses among all clades within Opuntioideae suggested that plastome structure and content vary across taxa of this subfamily, with putative independent losses of the ndh gene suite and pseudogenization of genes across disparate lineages, further demonstrating the dynamic nature of plastomes in Cactaceae. Our plastome dataset was robust in determining relationships among major clades and subclades within Opuntioideae, resolving three tribes with high support: Cylindropuntieae, Tephrocacteae and Opuntieae. A plastome-wide survey for highly informative phylogenetic markers revealed previously unused regions for future use in Sanger-based studies, presenting a valuable dataset with primers designed for continued evolutionary studies across Cactaceae. These results bring new insights into the evolution of plastomes in cacti, suggesting that further analyses should be carried out to address how ecological drivers, physiological constraints and morphological traits of cacti may be related with the common rearrangements in plastomes that have been reported across the family.

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 403
Author(s):  
Umar Rehman ◽  
Nighat Sultana ◽  
Abdullah ◽  
Abbas Jamal ◽  
Maryam Muzaffar ◽  
...  

Family Phyllanthaceae belongs to the eudicot order Malpighiales, and its species are herbs, shrubs, and trees that are mostly distributed in tropical regions. Here, we elucidate the molecular evolution of the chloroplast genome in Phyllanthaceae and identify the polymorphic loci for phylogenetic inference. We de novo assembled the chloroplast genomes of three Phyllanthaceae species, i.e., Phyllanthus emblica, Flueggea virosa, and Leptopus cordifolius, and compared them with six other previously reported genomes. All species comprised two inverted repeat regions (size range 23,921–27,128 bp) that separated large single-copy (83,627–89,932 bp) and small single-copy (17,424–19,441 bp) regions. Chloroplast genomes contained 111–112 unique genes, including 77–78 protein-coding, 30 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. The deletion/pseudogenization of rps16 genes was found in only two species. High variability was seen in the number of oligonucleotide repeats, while guanine-cytosine contents, codon usage, amino acid frequency, simple sequence repeats, synonymous and non-synonymous substitutions, and transition and transversion substitutions were similar. The transition substitutions were higher in coding sequences than in non-coding sequences. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the polyphyletic nature of the genus Phyllanthus. The polymorphic protein-coding genes, including rpl22, ycf1, matK, ndhF, and rps15, were also determined, which may be helpful for reconstructing the high-resolution phylogenetic tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. Overall, the study provides insight into the chloroplast genome evolution in Phyllanthaceae.


PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e6032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenyu Zhao ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Yi Yu ◽  
Subo Yuan ◽  
Dan Jiang ◽  
...  

Dioscorea L., the largest genus of the family Dioscoreaceae with over 600 species, is not only an important food but also a medicinal plant. The identification and classification of Dioscorea L. is a rather difficult task. In this study, we sequenced five Dioscorea chloroplast genomes, and analyzed with four other chloroplast genomes of Dioscorea species from GenBank. The Dioscorea chloroplast genomes displayed the typical quadripartite structure of angiosperms, which consisted of a pair of inverted repeats separated by a large single-copy region, and a small single-copy region. The location and distribution of repeat sequences and microsatellites were determined, and the rapidly evolving chloroplast genome regions (trnK-trnQ, trnS-trnG, trnC-petN, trnE-trnT, petG-trnW-trnP, ndhF, trnL-rpl32, and ycf1) were detected. Phylogenetic relationships of Dioscorea inferred from chloroplast genomes obtained high support even in shortest internodes. Thus, chloroplast genome sequences provide potential molecular markers and genomic resources for phylogeny and species identification.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 180
Author(s):  
Bagdevi Mishra ◽  
Bartosz Ulaszewski ◽  
Sebastian Ploch ◽  
Jaroslaw Burczyk ◽  
Marco Thines

Chloroplasts are difficult to assemble because of the presence of large inverted repeats. At the same time, correct assemblies are important, as chloroplast loci are frequently used for biogeography and population genetics studies. In an attempt to elucidate the orientation of the single-copy regions and to find suitable loci for chloroplast single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based studies, circular chloroplast sequences for the ultra-centenary reference individual of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Bhaga, and an additional Polish individual (named Jamy) was obtained based on hybrid assemblies. The chloroplast genome of Bhaga was 158,458 bp, and that of Jamy was 158,462 bp long. Using long-read mapping on the configuration inferred in this study and the one suggested in a previous study, we found an inverted orientation of the small single-copy region. The chloroplast genome of Bhaga and of the individual from Poland both have only two mismatches as well as three and two indels as compared to the previously published genome, respectively. The low divergence suggests low seed dispersal but high pollen dispersal. However, once chloroplast genomes become available from Pleistocene refugia, where a high degree of variation has been reported, they might prove useful for tracing the migration history of Fagus sylvatica in the Holocene.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 601-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Li ◽  
Liukun Jia ◽  
Zhihua Wang ◽  
Rui Xing ◽  
Xiaofeng Chi ◽  
...  

Abstract Saxifraga sinomontana J.-T. Pan & Gornall belongs to Saxifraga sect. Ciliatae subsect. Hirculoideae, a lineage containing ca. 110 species whose phylogenetic relationships are largely unresolved due to recent rapid radiations. Analyses of complete chloroplast genomes have the potential to significantly improve the resolution of phylogenetic relationships in this young plant lineage. The complete chloroplast genome of S. sinomontana was de novo sequenced, assembled and then compared with that of other six Saxifragaceae species. The S. sinomontana chloroplast genome is 147,240 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, including a large single-copy region of 79,310 bp and a small single-copy region of 16,874 bp separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,528 bp each. The chloroplast genome contains 113 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, four rRNAs and 30 tRNAs, with 18 duplicates in the IRs. The gene content and organization are similar to other Saxifragaceae chloroplast genomes. Sixty-one simple sequence repeats were identified in the S. sinomontana chloroplast genome, mostly represented by mononucleotide repeats of polyadenine or polythymine. Comparative analysis revealed 12 highly divergent regions in the intergenic spacers, as well as coding genes of matK, ndhK, accD, cemA, rpoA, rps19, ndhF, ccsA, ndhD and ycf1. Phylogenetic reconstruction of seven Saxifragaceae species based on 66 protein-coding genes received high bootstrap support values for nearly all identified nodes, suggesting a promising opportunity to resolve infrasectional relationships of the most species-rich section Ciliatae of Saxifraga.


Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 752
Author(s):  
Furrukh Mehmood ◽  
Abdullah ◽  
Zartasha Ubaid ◽  
Yiming Bao ◽  
Peter Poczai ◽  
...  

Within the family Solanaceae, Withania is a small genus belonging to the Solanoideae subfamily. Here, we report the de novo assembled chloroplast genome sequences of W. coagulans, W. adpressa, and W. riebeckii. The length of these genomes ranged from 154,162 to 154,364 base pairs (bp). These genomes contained a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb) ranging from 25,029 to 25,071 bp that were separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region of 85,635–85,765 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,457–18,469 bp. We analyzed the structural organization, gene content and order, guanine-cytosine content, codon usage, RNA-editing sites, microsatellites, oligonucleotide and tandem repeats, and substitutions of Withania plastomes, which revealed high similarities among the species. Comparative analysis among the Withania species also highlighted 10 divergent hotspots that could potentially be used for molecular marker development, phylogenetic analysis, and species identification. Furthermore, our analyses showed that even three mutational hotspots (rps4-trnT, trnM-atpE, and rps15) were sufficient to discriminate the Withania species included in current study.


Author(s):  
Umar Rehman ◽  
Nighat Sultana ◽  
Abdullah . ◽  
Abbas Jamal ◽  
Maryam Muzaffar ◽  
...  

Family Phyllanthaceae is one of the largest segregates of the eudicot order Malpighiales and its species are herb, shrub, and tree, which are mostly distributed in tropical regions. Certain taxonomic discrepancies exist at genus and family level. Here, we report chloroplast genomes of three Phyllanthaceae species—Phyllanthus emblica, Flueggea virosa, and Leptopus cordifolius— and compare them with six others previously reported Phyllanthaceae chloroplast genomes. The species of Phyllanthaceae displayed quadripartite structure, comprising inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) that separate large single copy (LSC) and small single copy (SSC) regions. The length of complete chloroplast genome ranged from 154,707 bp to 161,093 bp; LSC from 83,627 bp to 89,932 bp; IRs from 23,921 bp to 27,128 bp; and SSC from 17,424 bp to 19,441 bp. Chloroplast genomes contained 111 to 112 unique genes, including 77 to 78 protein-coding, 30 transfer RNA (tRNA), and 4 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) that showed similarities in arrangement. The number of protein-coding genes varied due to deletion/pseudogenization of rps16 genes in Baccaurea ramiflora and Leptopus cordifolius. High variability was seen in number of oligonucleotide repeats while analysis of guanine-cytosine (GC) content, codon usage, amino acid frequency, simple sequence repeats analysis, synonymous and non-synonymous substitutions, and transition and transversion substitutions showed similarities in all Phyllanthaceae species. We detected a higher number of transition substitutions in the coding sequences than non-coding sequences. Moreover, the high number of transition substitutions was determined among the distantly related species in comparison to closely related species. Phylogenetic analysis shows the polyphyletic nature of the genus Phyllanthus which requires further verification. We also determined suitable polymorphic coding genes, including rpl22, ycf1, matK, ndhF, and rps15 which may be helpful for the reconstruction of the high-resolution phylogenetic tree of the family Phyllanthaceae using a large number of species in the future. Overall, the current study provides insight into chloroplast genome evolution in Phyllanthaceae.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiwen Wang ◽  
Robert Lanfear

AbstractThe chloroplast genome usually has a quadripartite structure consisting of a large single copy region and a small single copy region separated by two long inverted repeats. It has been known for some time that a single cell may contain at least two structural haplotypes of this structure, which differ in the relative orientation of the single copy regions. However, the methods required to detect and measure the abundance of the structural haplotypes are labour-intensive, and this phenomenon remains understudied. Here we develop a new method, Cp-hap, to detect all possible structural haplotypes of chloroplast genomes of quadripartite structure using long-read sequencing data. We use this method to conduct a systematic analysis and quantification of chloroplast structural haplotypes in 61 land plant species across 19 orders of Angiosperms, Gymnosperms and Pteridophytes. Our results show that there are two chloroplast structural haplotypes which occur with equal frequency in most land plant individuals. Nevertheless, species whose chloroplast genomes lack inverted repeats or have short inverted repeats have just a single structural haplotype. We also show that the relative abundance of the two structural haplotypes remains constant across multiple samples from a single individual plant, suggesting that the process which maintains equal frequency of the two haplotypes operates rapidly, consistent with the hypothesis that flip-flop recombination mediates chloroplast structural heteroplasmy. Our results suggest that previous claims of differences in chloroplast genome structure between species may need to be revisited.Significance StatementChloroplast genome consists of a large single copy region, a small single copy region, and two inverted repeats. Some decades ago, a discovery showed that there are two types chloroplast genome in some plants, which differ the way that the four regions are put together. However, this phenomenon has been shown in just a small number of species, and many open questions remain. Here, we develop a fast method to measure the chloroplast genome structures, based on long-reads. We show that almost all plants we analysed contain two possible genome structures, while a few plants contain only one structure. Our findings hint at the causes of the phenomenon, and provide a convenient new method with which to make rapid progress.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yike Luo ◽  
Jian He ◽  
Rudan Lyu ◽  
Jiamin Xiao ◽  
Wenhe Li ◽  
...  

The evening primrose family, Onagraceae, is a well defined family of the order Myrtales, comprising 22 genera widely distributed from boreal to tropical areas. In this study, we report and characterize the complete chloroplast genome sequences of 13 species in Circaea, Chamaenerion, and Epilobium using a next-generation sequencing method. We also retrieved chloroplast sequences from two other Onagraceae genera to characterize the chloroplast genome of the family. The complete chloroplast genomes of Onagraceae encoded an identical set of 112 genes (with exclusion of duplication), including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNAs, and four ribosomal RNAs. The chloroplast genomes are basically conserved in gene arrangement across the family. However, a large segment of inversion was detected in the large single copy region of all the samples of Oenothera subsect. Oenothera. Two kinds of inverted repeat (IR) region expansion were found in Oenothera, Chamaenerion, and Epilobium samples. We also compared chloroplast genomes across the Onagraceae samples in some features, including nucleotide content, codon usage, RNA editing sites, and simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Phylogeny was inferred by the chloroplast genome data using maximum-likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference methods. The generic relationship of Onagraceae was well resolved by the complete chloroplast genome sequences, showing potential value in inferring phylogeny within the family. Phylogenetic relationship in Oenothera was better resolved than other densely sampled genera, such as Circaea and Epilobium. Chloroplast genomes of Oenothera subsect. Oenothera, which are biparental inheritated, share a syndrome of characteristics that deviate from primitive pattern of the family, including slightly expanded inverted repeat region, intron loss in clpP, and presence of the inversion.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ueric José Borges de Souza ◽  
Rhewter Nunes ◽  
Cíntia Pelegrineti Targueta ◽  
José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho ◽  
Mariana Pires de Campos Telles

Abstract Stryphnodendron adstringens is a medicinal plant belonging to the Leguminosae family, and it is commonly found in the southeastern savannas, endemic to the Cerrado biome. The goal of this study was to assemble and annotate the chloroplast genome of S. adstringens and to compare it with previously known genomes of the mimosoid clade within Leguminosae. The chloroplast genome was reconstructed using de novo and referenced-based assembly of paired-end reads generated by shotgun sequencing of total genomic DNA. The size of the S. adstringens chloroplast genome was 162,169 bp. This genome included a large single-copy (LSC) region of 91,045 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 19,014 bp and a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb) of 26,055 bp each. The S. adstringens chloroplast genome contains a total of 111 functional genes, including 77 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. A total of 137 SSRs and 42 repeat structures were identified in S. adstringens chloroplast genome, with the highest proportion in the LSC region. A comparison of the S. adstringens chloroplast genome with those from other mimosoid species indicated that gene content and synteny are highly conserved in the clade. The phylogenetic reconstruction using 73 conserved coding-protein genes from 19 Leguminosae species was supported to be paraphyletic. Furthermore, the noncoding and coding regions with high nucleotide diversity may supply valuable markers for molecular evolutionary and phylogenetic studies at different taxonomic levels in this group.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Junjun Yao ◽  
Fangyu Zhao ◽  
Yuanjiang Xu ◽  
Kaihui Zhao ◽  
Hong Quan ◽  
...  

Dracocephalum tanguticum and Dracocephalum moldavica are important herbs from Lamiaceae and have great medicinal value. We used the Illumina sequencing technology to sequence the complete chloroplast genome of D. tanguticum and D. moldavica and then conducted de novo assembly. The two chloroplast genomes have a typical quadripartite structure, with the gene’s lengths of 82,221 bp and 81,450 bp, large single-copy region’s (LSC) lengths of 82,221 bp and 81,450 bp, and small single-copy region’s (SSC) lengths of 17,363 bp and 17,066 bp, inverted repeat region’s (IR) lengths of 51,370 bp and 51,352 bp, respectively. The GC content of the two chloroplast genomes was 37.80% and 37.83%, respectively. The chloroplast genomes of the two plants encode 133 and 132 genes, respectively, among which there are 88 and 87 protein-coding genes, respectively, as well as 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Among them, the rps2 gene is unique to D. tanguticum, which is not found in D. moldavica. Through SSR analysis, we also found 6 mutation hotspot regions, which can be used as molecular markers for taxonomic studies. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Dracocephalum was more closely related to Mentha.


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