The Welwitschia genome reveals a unique biology underpinning extreme longevity in deserts
- Author
- Tao Wan, Zhiming Liu, Ilia J. Leitch, Haiping Xin, Gillian Maggs-Kölling, Yanbing Gong, Zhen Li (UGent) , Eugene Marais, Yiying Liao, Can Dai, Fan Liu, Qijia Wu, Chi Song, Yadong Zhou, Weichang Huang, Kai Jiang, Qi Wang, Yong Yang, Zhixiang Zhong, Ming Yang, Xue Yan, Guangwan Hu, Chen Hou, Yingjuan Su, Shixiu Feng, Ji Yang, Jijun Yan, Jinfang Chu, Fan Chen, Jinhua Ran, Xiaoquan Wang, Yves Van de Peer (UGent) , Andrew R. Leitch and Qingfeng Wang
- Organization
- Abstract
- The gymnosperm Welwitschia mirabilis belongs to the ancient, enigmatic gnetophyte lineage. It is a unique desert plant with extreme longevity and two ever-elongating leaves. We present a chromosome-level assembly of its genome (6.8Gb/1C) together with methylome and transcriptome data to explore its astonishing biology. We also present a refined, high-quality assembly of Gnetum montanum to enhance our understanding of gnetophyte genome evolution. The Welwitschia genome has been shaped by a lineage-specific ancient, whole genome duplication (similar to 86 million years ago) and more recently (1-2 million years) by bursts of retrotransposon activity. High levels of cytosine methylation (particularly at CHH motifs) are associated with retrotransposons, whilst long-term deamination has resulted in an exceptionally GC-poor genome. Changes in copy number and/or expression of gene families and transcription factors (e.g. R2R3MYB, SAUR) controlling cell growth, differentiation and metabolism underpin the plant's longevity and tolerance to temperature, nutrient and water stress.
- Keywords
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, General Physics and Astronomy, General Chemistry, DNA METHYLATION, LTR RETROTRANSPOSONS, TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS, GENE CONVERSION, EARLY EVOLUTION, MIOCENE ORIGIN, MUTANT REVEALS, NEW-JERSEY, ARABIDOPSIS, IDENTIFICATION
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8715697
- MLA
- Wan, Tao, et al. “The Welwitschia Genome Reveals a Unique Biology Underpinning Extreme Longevity in Deserts.” NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 12, no. 1, 2021, doi:10.1038/s41467-021-24528-4.
- APA
- Wan, T., Liu, Z., Leitch, I. J., Xin, H., Maggs-Kölling, G., Gong, Y., … Wang, Q. (2021). The Welwitschia genome reveals a unique biology underpinning extreme longevity in deserts. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24528-4
- Chicago author-date
- Wan, Tao, Zhiming Liu, Ilia J. Leitch, Haiping Xin, Gillian Maggs-Kölling, Yanbing Gong, Zhen Li, et al. 2021. “The Welwitschia Genome Reveals a Unique Biology Underpinning Extreme Longevity in Deserts.” NATURE COMMUNICATIONS 12 (1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24528-4.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Wan, Tao, Zhiming Liu, Ilia J. Leitch, Haiping Xin, Gillian Maggs-Kölling, Yanbing Gong, Zhen Li, Eugene Marais, Yiying Liao, Can Dai, Fan Liu, Qijia Wu, Chi Song, Yadong Zhou, Weichang Huang, Kai Jiang, Qi Wang, Yong Yang, Zhixiang Zhong, Ming Yang, Xue Yan, Guangwan Hu, Chen Hou, Yingjuan Su, Shixiu Feng, Ji Yang, Jijun Yan, Jinfang Chu, Fan Chen, Jinhua Ran, Xiaoquan Wang, Yves Van de Peer, Andrew R. Leitch, and Qingfeng Wang. 2021. “The Welwitschia Genome Reveals a Unique Biology Underpinning Extreme Longevity in Deserts.” NATURE COMMUNICATIONS 12 (1). doi:10.1038/s41467-021-24528-4.
- Vancouver
- 1.Wan T, Liu Z, Leitch IJ, Xin H, Maggs-Kölling G, Gong Y, et al. The Welwitschia genome reveals a unique biology underpinning extreme longevity in deserts. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2021;12(1).
- IEEE
- [1]T. Wan et al., “The Welwitschia genome reveals a unique biology underpinning extreme longevity in deserts,” NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 12, no. 1, 2021.
@article{8715697,
abstract = {{The gymnosperm Welwitschia mirabilis belongs to the ancient, enigmatic gnetophyte lineage. It is a unique desert plant with extreme longevity and two ever-elongating leaves. We present a chromosome-level assembly of its genome (6.8Gb/1C) together with methylome and transcriptome data to explore its astonishing biology. We also present a refined, high-quality assembly of Gnetum montanum to enhance our understanding of gnetophyte genome evolution. The Welwitschia genome has been shaped by a lineage-specific ancient, whole genome duplication (similar to 86 million years ago) and more recently (1-2 million years) by bursts of retrotransposon activity. High levels of cytosine methylation (particularly at CHH motifs) are associated with retrotransposons, whilst long-term deamination has resulted in an exceptionally GC-poor genome. Changes in copy number and/or expression of gene families and transcription factors (e.g. R2R3MYB, SAUR) controlling cell growth, differentiation and metabolism underpin the plant's longevity and tolerance to temperature, nutrient and water stress.}},
articleno = {{4247}},
author = {{Wan, Tao and Liu, Zhiming and Leitch, Ilia J. and Xin, Haiping and Maggs-Kölling, Gillian and Gong, Yanbing and Li, Zhen and Marais, Eugene and Liao, Yiying and Dai, Can and Liu, Fan and Wu, Qijia and Song, Chi and Zhou, Yadong and Huang, Weichang and Jiang, Kai and Wang, Qi and Yang, Yong and Zhong, Zhixiang and Yang, Ming and Yan, Xue and Hu, Guangwan and Hou, Chen and Su, Yingjuan and Feng, Shixiu and Yang, Ji and Yan, Jijun and Chu, Jinfang and Chen, Fan and Ran, Jinhua and Wang, Xiaoquan and Van de Peer, Yves and Leitch, Andrew R. and Wang, Qingfeng}},
issn = {{2041-1723}},
journal = {{NATURE COMMUNICATIONS}},
keywords = {{General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Physics and Astronomy,General Chemistry,DNA METHYLATION,LTR RETROTRANSPOSONS,TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS,GENE CONVERSION,EARLY EVOLUTION,MIOCENE ORIGIN,MUTANT REVEALS,NEW-JERSEY,ARABIDOPSIS,IDENTIFICATION}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{15}},
title = {{The Welwitschia genome reveals a unique biology underpinning extreme longevity in deserts}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24528-4}},
volume = {{12}},
year = {{2021}},
}
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