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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #377935
Research Project: Characterizing and Evaluating the Genetic Diversity and Horticultural Value of Genetic Resources for Cacao and Other Tropical tree crops Economically important to the United States

Location: Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory

Title: The chromosome-level genome of dragon fruit reveals whole-genome duplication and chromosomal co-localization of betacyanin iosynthetic genes

Author
item ZHENG, JINFANG - University Of Nebraska
item Meinhardt, Lyndel
item Goenaga, Ricardo
item Zhang, Dapeng
item YIN, YANBIN - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: Horticulture Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2021
Publication Date: 3/6/2021
Citation: Zheng, J., Meinhardt, L.W., Goenaga, R.J., Zhang, D., Yin, Y. 2021. The chromosome-level genome of dragon fruit reveals whole-genome duplication and chromosomal co-localization of betacyanin iosynthetic genes. Horticulture Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-021-00501-6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-021-00501-6

Interpretive Summary: White-fleshed dragon fruits (Hylocereus undatus) are tropical cactus fruits economically important for agricultural industries in many countries particularly in Southeast Asia and as a new alternative crop in the USA. This study reports a detailed draft genome of Hylocereus undatus. This tropical cactus crop is resistant to drought and contains high amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Gene clusters for drought resistance and fruit flavor were found in this genome. This information will be used by researchers, plant breeders, and collection curators, around the world, to study and improve this drought resistant tropical cactus fruit crop and advance its utilization and production.

Technical Abstract: Dragon fruits are tropical fruits economically important for agricultural industries in many countries particularly in Southeast Asia. As members of the family of Cactaceae, they are highly drought resistant and have evolved to adapt to arid environment. Here we report the draft genome of Hylocereus undatus, commercially known as the white-fleshed dragon fruit. The chromosomal level draft genome of H. undatus contains 11 long scaffolds. Genome annotation of H. undatus found ~29,000 protein coding genes, which is close to the number in Carnegiea gigantean (saguaro). Whole genome duplication (WGD) analysis predicted an ancient WGD event followed by extensive genome rearrangements, and then more recent smaller scale tandem duplications. The divergence time between H. undatus and C. gigantea was estimated to be 9.18 MYA. Fuctional enrichment analysis of orthologous gene clusters (OGCs) in cactus plants found significantly enriched OGCs in drought resistance. Fruit flavor related GO terms were found to be enriched in OGCs and signficantly expanded in dragon fruit. Plant cell wall-related functions were enriched in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in trypsin treated dragon fruit during storage. Lastly, enzymes of the betalain biosynthetic pathway were analyzed and found to be co-localized on a 12Mb region the H. undatus draft genome.