Unified Assembly of Chloroplast Genomes: A Comparative Study of Grapes Representing Global Geographic Diversity

The genus <i>Vitis</i>, known for its economically important fruit—grape—is divided into three geographical groups, American, East Asian, and Eurasian, along with a hybrid group. However, previous studies on grape phylogeny using chloroplast genomes have been hindered by limited sample s...

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Main Authors: Yue Song, Lujia Wang, Lipeng Zhang, Junpeng Li, Yuanxu Teng, Zhen Zhang, Yuanyuan Xu, Dongying Fan, Juan He, Chao Ma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Horticulturae
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/11/1218
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Summary:The genus <i>Vitis</i>, known for its economically important fruit—grape—is divided into three geographical groups, American, East Asian, and Eurasian, along with a hybrid group. However, previous studies on grape phylogeny using chloroplast genomes have been hindered by limited sample sizes and inconsistent methodologies, resulting in inaccuracies. In this study, we employed the GetOrganelle software with consistent parameters to assemble the chloroplast genomes of 21 grape cultivars, ensuring comprehensive representation across four distinct groups. A comparative analysis of the 21 grape cultivars revealed structural variation, showing chloroplast genome sizes ranging from 160,813 bp to 161,275 bp. In 21 <i>Vitis</i> cultivars, genome annotation revealed 134 to 136 genes, comprising 89 to 91 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. Our observations have pinpointed specific occurrences of contraction and expansion phenomena at the interfaces between inverted repeat (IR) regions and single-copy (SC) regions, particularly in the vicinity of the <i>rpl2</i>, <i>ycf1</i>, <i>ndhF</i>, and <i>trnN</i> genes. Meanwhile, a total of 193 to 198 SSRs were identified in chloroplast genomes. The diversification pattern of chloroplast genomes exhibited strong concordance with the phylogenetic relationships of the <i>Euvitis</i> subgenera. Phylogenetic analysis based on conserved chloroplast genome strongly clustered the grape varieties according to their geographical origins. In conclusion, these findings enhance our understanding of chloroplast genome variation in <i>Vitis</i> populations and have important implications for cultivar selection, breeding, and conservation efforts.
ISSN:2311-7524