Assembly and comparative analysis of the mitochondrial genome of Pteroceltis tatarinowii Maxim. (Cannabaceae), a tertiary relict plant endemic to China
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction Pteroceltis tatarinowii Maxim. (Cannabaceae) is a deciduous arbor endemic to China. As a Tertiary relict plant, it is listed as a rare and endangered species under national Class III key protection. Mitochondrial genomic data of P. tatarinowii can improve our knowledge of phylogenetic relationships within Cannabaceae, resolve the taxonomic placement and evolutionary divergence of the genus Pteroceltis , and supply molecular support for conservation and genetic breeding of this endangered tree. Methods We sequenced and assembled the mitochondrial genome of P. tatarinowii using Illumina short reads and Oxford Nanopore long reads. Bioinformatic pipelines were applied for gene annotation and functional characterization. Repetitive sequences and chloroplast-derived transferred fragments were screened and systematically characterized. Results The assembled mitochondrial genome of P. tatarinowii exhibited a typical multi-branched topology, with a total length of 509,000 bp and an overall GC content of 45.37%. A total of 182 simple sequence repeats, 12 tandem repeats and 117 dispersed repeats were detected, dominated by short repetitive motifs. Seven chloroplast homologous transferred fragments were annotated, spanning 660 bp and accounting for 0.13% of the mitochondrial genome. A maximum-likelihood phylogeny based on conserved mitochondrial coding sequences from 33 plant species firmly resolved P. tatarinowii in Rosales, Cannabaceae, consistent with the latest APG classification system. Discussion This study reports the first complete mitochondrial genome of P. tatarinowii . The genome is characterized by abundant repetitive sequences and intergenomic sequence transfer from the chloroplast. These resources provide fundamental data for investigating mitochondrial genome evolution in Cannabaceae and lay a molecular foundation for future studies on endangerment mechanisms, genetic diversity assessment and conservation management of this relict endangered species.
Source: Frontiers in Plant Science
Authors: Qiong Liu, Qi Jing, Beibei Cheng, Tong Liu, Lei Wang, Dan Liu
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7223116362