Sequencing for Cornus kousa K2 genome assembly

The goal of this study was to assemble and annotate a chromosome-scale genome assembly for Cornus kousa K2, a white-bracted and green-leafed cultivar. Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa Hance) is an East Asian-native tree that is popular as an ornamental in the U.S. The genus Cornus is within the family Cornaceae and order Cornales, and as Cornales is one of the earliest diverging asterids, these taxa have been important for phylogenetics research. In additional to its phylogenetic importance, kousa dogwood is a popular ornamental in the U.S. with its showy bract display that can range in color from white to pink in the spring. Although many trees have white bracts, there is consumer demand for novel pigmentation in the bracts combined with other traits of interest. Additionally, kousa dogwoods have greater resistance to many of the common pathogens facing its North American-native counterpart, the flowering dogwood (C. florida). A genome for an important breeding parent in the Rutgers University Woody Ornamentals Breeding Program was assembled and annotated. These genomic resources will be instrumental in progressing dogwood breeding and understanding this early diverging asterid.The genome and annotation is available on Phytozome.

本研究旨在为白色苞片、绿叶栽培品种四照花（Cornus kousa）K2组装并注释染色体级基因组。日本四照花（Cornus kousa Hance）是原产于东亚的乔木，在美国作为观赏植物广受欢迎。四照花属（Cornus）隶属于山茱萸科（Cornaceae）山茱萸目（Cornales）；由于山茱萸目是最早分化的菊亚纲分支之一，该类群在系统发育研究中具有重要地位。除系统发育研究价值外，日本四照花的春季苞片色彩艳丽，可从白色渐变至粉色，因此在美国亦是广受欢迎的观赏植物。尽管多数同类乔木的苞片为白色，但市场消费者对兼具其他优良性状的彩色苞片新品种存在需求。此外，相较于北美本土近缘物种——花梾木（C. florida），日本四照花对多种常见病原菌具有更强的抗性。本研究为罗格斯大学木本观赏植物育种项目中的核心育种亲本完成了基因组组装与注释工作。这些基因组资源将为推进梾木属植物育种研究以及解析该早期分化菊亚纲类群的演化机制提供重要支撑。该基因组及其注释文件可在Phytozome数据库获取。