Giant conifer's genome reveals ancient tree family secrets
Lin SZ, Chen Y, Wu C, Sun WH, Li Z
Climate Adaptation
The tall, straight-trunked conifer prized for centuries in Chinese timber and landscaping turns out to carry genetic clues about why some ancient trees produce so few viable seeds, insight that could help foresters and breeders manage struggling conifer populations.
Researchers mapped the complete genetic code of the Chinese fir, an ancient type of conifer tree related to cypresses, and found its genome is enormous, over 11 billion DNA letters, partly because it's bad at cleaning up old genetic junk. By comparing this genome to other conifers and ancient plants like cycads and ginkgo, scientists pieced together a clearer family tree showing how these ancient trees are related, and also found genetic hints explaining why this tree has trouble producing viable seeds.
Key Findings
The Chinese fir genome assembles to 11.24 Gb, one of the largest plant genomes sequenced, driven largely by inefficient removal of repetitive DNA elements
Phylogenetic analysis clarifies gymnosperm relationships, placing Cycads-Ginkgo relative to Gnetales-Pinaceae and confirming no lineage-specific whole-genome duplication in Chinese fir since the ancestral seed-plant duplication event
Genomic data reveal population history clues including glacial refugia and dispersal centers, plus a refined ABC-model explanation for the species' known reproductive sterility issues
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists sequenced the massive genome of the Chinese fir, a towering conifer tree, revealing new clues about how conifers and other ancient seed plants evolved over millions of years and why this particular species struggles with fertility.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Cunninghamia lanceolata genome illuminates the evolutionary dynamics of gymnosperms.
Cupressaceae , a gymnosperm family, draws attention due to its controversial phylogenetic position. Here, we present a comprehensive genome analysis of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata), a Cupr...
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Cunninghamia is a genus of one or two living species of evergreen coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae. They are native to China, northern Vietnam and Laos, and perhaps also Cambodia. They may reach 70 m (230 ft) in height. In vernacular use, it is most often known as Cunninghamia,...