Author
HU, Y. - Zhejiang University | |
CHEN, J.D. - Zhejiang University | |
FANG, L. - Zhejiang University | |
ZHANG, Z.Y. - Zhejiang University | |
MA, W. - Zhejiang University | |
NIU, Y - Gensys Consultores Associados | |
JU, R. - Nanjing Agricultural University | |
ZHAO, T. - Nanjing Agricultural University | |
Fang, David | |
ZHANG, T.Z. - Zhejiang University | |
LIAN, J. - Zhejiang University | |
BARUCH, K. - Nrgene | |
LUI, X. - Esquel Group | |
ZHANG, T.Z. - University Of Newcastle |
Submitted to: Nature Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 12/20/2018 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Cotton is economically the most important global natural fiber producing crop. Cotton plants were rigorously domesticated by converting perennial trees into annual staple fiber crop in order to suit for a productive agricultural crop. American upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum, produces higher fiber yield, thrive better in harsh environments than that of Sealand or Egyptian cotton, G. barbadense, which produces better fiber quality. The global genetic and molecular basis for these inter-species differences remains obscure. Here, we report significantly improved de novo assembly and annotation of genomes of these two cultivated cottons. The analyses uncovered the evolutionary and genomic features associated with the species-specific differences between them for fiber quality and stress tolerance. These two most complete de novo assembled genomes set firm foundation for investigating deep insights into cotton genome evolution and domestication history and also aiming to exploit the genetic diversity for further improving resilience to changing climate and fiber production to address future challenges. Technical Abstract: Cotton is economically the most important global natural fiber producing crop. After polyploidization, cotton domestication was primarily accomplished by converting perennial trees into annual staple fiber crop. Gossypium hirsutum evolved to produce a higher fiber yield, thrive better in harsh environments than that of G. barbadense which produced better fiber quality. The global genetic and molecular basis for these inter-species differences remains obscure. Here, we report significantly improved de novo assembly and annotation of genomes of the two cultivated allotetraploid cottons. The analyses uncovered the evolutionary and genomic features associated with the species-specific differences between G. hirsutum and G. barbadense for fiber quality and stress tolerance. These two most complete de novo assembled genomes set firm foundation for investigating deep insights into cotton genome evolution and domestication history and also aiming to exploit the genetic diversity for further improving resilience to changing climate and fiber production to address future challenges. |