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Red bayberry genome has been published by Professor GAO Zhongshan Group

Date:2018-08-30 Hits:155

The paper entitled “The red bayberry genome and genetic basis of sex determination” was recently published by Plant Biotechnology Journal, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/pbi.12985. Post-doctor Huimin Jia is the first author, Professor Zhongshan Gao is the corresponding author.

Morella rubra, red bayberry, is an economically important fruit tree in south China. High-quality genome for both a female and a male were assembled. The genome size was 320-Mb, and 90% sequences were assembled into eight pseudo chromosome molecules. A 59-Kb region determining female was identified and located on distal end of pseudo-chromosome 8, which contains abundant transposable element and seven putative genes, four of them are related to sex floral development. Sex-specific molecular markers developed from candidate genes were co-segregating with sex in a genetically diverse female and male germplasm. We propose sex determination follow the ZW-model of female heterogamety. The genome sequence of red bayberry provides a valuable resource for molecular biology, genetics and modern breeding in Myricaceae family and for plant sex chromosome evolution.

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31471843, 31772271) and grants from Yuyao Agriculture and Forestry Bureau and Ningbo Sci-technology Bureau.