Complete Chloroplast Genome Analysis of <i>Casearia kurzii</i>: Gene Loss at the IR Boundary and Monophyletic Evolution Within <i>Casearia</i>

Complete Chloroplast Genome Analysis of <i>Casearia kurzii</i>: Gene Loss at the IR Boundary and Monophyletic Evolution Within <i>Casearia</i>

Genomic analysis is crucial for understanding the evolutionary history, phylogenetic relationships, and effective conservation of plant species. <i>Casearia kurzii</i> is an important medicinal plant of the genus <i>Casearia</i>, but its complete chloroplast genome has not pr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kan Yan, Wandi Li, Chao Sun, Xin Lu, Xueqiong Zhou, Youyou Wang, Yongqiang Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Plants
Subjects:
<i>Casearia kurzii</i>
comparative genomics
chloroplast genome
phylogenetic analysis
molecular markers
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/9/1356
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Genomic analysis is crucial for understanding the evolutionary history, phylogenetic relationships, and effective conservation of plant species. <i>Casearia kurzii</i> is an important medicinal plant of the genus <i>Casearia</i>, but its complete chloroplast genome has not previously been reported, limiting genetic studies and conservation efforts. In this study, we assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast genome of <i>C. kurzii</i> using Illumina sequencing technology and conducted a comparative genomics analysis with 14 closely related species to clarify its phylogenetic position within <i>Casearia</i>. The chloroplast genome was 157,998 bp, showing a typical quadripartite structure. Key findings included: (1) the loss of the <i>rpl22</i> gene at the IR boundary; (2) the identification of 60 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and (3) the discovery of five candidate molecular markers for species-level identification. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that <i>C. kurzii</i> formed a strongly supported monophyletic clade (100% bootstrap support) with <i>C. velutina</i>, <i>C. decandra</i>, and <i>C. glomerata</i>, this clade originated approximately 15.8 million years ago. This study provides molecular tools for accurate identification and conservation of <i>C. kurzii</i> and related species, laying the foundation for exploring adaptive evolution within <i>Casearia</i> and advancing comparative genomics research.
ISSN:2223-7747

Similar Items