Comparative Structural and Functional Spruce Genomics: Chloroplast genome of red spruce (Picea rubens)

This research is a part of the Comparative Structural and Functional Spruce Genomics project started in 2003. The overall goal of the project is to understand genome organization, develop gene sequence data base and genetic maps, and identify, functionally annotate, characterize, and map genes underlying responses and adaptation to global climate change in black spruce (Picea marianna), red spruce (Picea rubens) and their hybrids. One of the objectives of this project is to sequence, assemble and functionally annotate chloroplast genomes of these and other spruce species and perform comparative genomics analysis. Here we have sequenced, assembled, and annotated the chloroplast genome of red spruce and examined its relationships with the chloroplast genomes of 10 other spruce species. The work has plant structural, functional, population and evolutionary genomics significance.