De Novo Chromosome-Level Assembly of the Endangered Pilocarpus Microphyllus Highlights Genomic Resources for Conservation and Sustainable Pilocarpine Extraction
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Pilocarpus microphyllus (jaborandi) is an endangered plant species with significant bioeconomic relevance, as it is the main known source of pilocarpine, an alkaloid widely used in the treatment of glaucoma and other diseases. Here, we present a functionally annotated, haplotype-phased, chromosome-level genome for P. microphyllus, combining PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing. The final genome assembly spans 2.6 Gb anchored into 22 chromosomes across 95 scaffolds, with a scaffold N50 of 120.9 Mb and a BUSCO completeness score of 99.66%. We obtained 28,319 unique protein-coding loci, of which 28,090 were functionally annotated to the RefSeq database. Repetitive sequences constituted 88.98% of the total genome length. This near-T2T genome provides a robust molecular foundation for investigating the pilocarpine biosynthetic pathway and supports future population-level studies, thereby contributing to improved management and conservation strategies.
Source: Genome Biology and Evolution
DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evag070
Authors: Mariane Brom Sobreiro, Leandro Magalhães, Leandro Araújo Argolo, Camila Leitão Nacif, Carlos Eduardo de Araújo Batista, Débora de Morais Cordeiro, Renato Renison Moreira-Oliveira, Guilherme Oliveira, Alexandre Aleixo, Carolina da Silva Carvalho, Cecílio Frois Caldeira, Sibelle Torres Vilaça, Amanda F Vidal
Institution: Vale Technological Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,850
OpenAlex ID: W7140829974