Vaccinium floribundum Genome sequencing. Vaccinium floribundum

Vaccinium floribundum Kunth, commonly known as "mortino," is a native shrub species that inhabits the highlands of several South American countries. This emblematic plant species plays a crucial role in restoring ecosystems and holds significant value in the food industry and nutraceutical products due to its phytochemical nutrients. Previous studies have offered insights into the genetic diversity of mortino, shedding light on its population structure and adaptations to unique harsh-altitude environments. However, a comprehensive understanding of this species at the genomic level is lacking. In this study, we sequenced and assembled this species to establish a first reference genome. Oxford Nanopore and Illumina technologies were used for sequencing, resulting in good-quality data with high coverage. Three different de novo genome assemblies were generated and compared for quality, continuity, and completeness. The Flye assembly was selected as the best and thoroughly refined by filtering out short ONT reads, screening for contaminants, and performing genome scaffolding. The final obtained assembly has a genome size of 529 MB, containing 1319 contigs. This assembly has a LAI score of 12.93, categorizing it as a reference genome. BUSCO analysis indicate a high level of completeness (95.8% complete) in the assembly. Additionally, read coverage was assessed across the genome and we found even distribution and suitability for downstream analyses. Our V. floribundum reference genome provides a valuable resource for further research, enabling a deeper understanding of the species at the molecular level. It holds promise for uncovering the genetic mechanisms responsible for the species' unique traits and adaptations, as well as its ecological functions. The reference genome will support conservation efforts and contribute to the development of strategies to promote adaptability in changing environments.

多花越橘*Vaccinium floribundum* Kunth，俗称“mortino（莫蒂诺越橘）”，是一种原生灌木物种，栖息于南美洲多个国家的高海拔区域。该标志性植物类群在生态系统修复中发挥着关键作用，同时因其富含植物化学营养物质，在食品工业与营养保健品领域具备极高应用价值。过往研究已对莫蒂诺越橘的遗传多样性展开探索，阐明了其种群结构以及对极端高海拔恶劣环境的适应性，但目前学界仍缺乏该物种在基因组层面的全面认知。本研究通过测序与组装手段，构建了该物种的首个参考基因组。测序工作采用牛津纳米孔（Oxford Nanopore）与Illumina技术，获得了高覆盖度的优质测序数据。随后我们生成并比较了三套从头（de novo）基因组组装结果，从组装质量、连续性与完整性三个维度开展评估。最终筛选出Flye组装作为最优结果，并通过过滤短牛津纳米孔读段、筛选污染序列以及进行基因组支架构建完成了精细化优化。最终获得的组装基因组大小为529 Mb，共包含1319个重叠群（contig）。该组装的LAI评分达12.93，被归类为合格参考基因组。BUSCO分析结果显示，该组装的完整度极高（完整单拷贝同源基因占比达95.8%）。此外，我们对全基因组的读长覆盖度进行了评估，发现其覆盖分布均匀，适配后续各类分析工作。本研究构建的多花越橘参考基因组为后续相关研究提供了宝贵资源，有助于从分子层面深入解析该物种，为揭示其独特性状与适应性背后的遗传机制以及生态功能提供支撑。该参考基因组将助力物种保护工作，并为制定应对环境变化的适应性策略提供理论依据。