Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTs

Abstract Camellia luteoflora Y.K. Li ex Hung T. Chang & F.A. Zeng belongs to the Camellia L. genus (Theaceae Mirb.). As an endemic, rare, and critically endangered species in China, it holds significant ornamental and economic value, garnering global attention due to its ecological rarity. Despi...

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Main Authors: Xu Xiao, Zhaohui Ran, Chao Yan, Weihao Gu, Zhi Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06461-6
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author Xu Xiao
Zhaohui Ran
Chao Yan
Weihao Gu
Zhi Li
author_facet Xu Xiao
Zhaohui Ran
Chao Yan
Weihao Gu
Zhi Li
author_sort Xu Xiao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Camellia luteoflora Y.K. Li ex Hung T. Chang & F.A. Zeng belongs to the Camellia L. genus (Theaceae Mirb.). As an endemic, rare, and critically endangered species in China, it holds significant ornamental and economic value, garnering global attention due to its ecological rarity. Despite its conservation importance, genomic investigations on this species remain limited, particularly in organelle genomics, hindering progress in phylogenetic classification and population identification. In this study, we employed high-throughput sequencing to assemble the first complete mitochondrial genome of C. luteoflora and reannotated its chloroplast genome. Through integrated bioinformatics analyses, we systematically characterized the mitochondrial genome’s structural organization, gene content, interorganellar DNA transfer, sequence variation, and evolutionary relationships.Key findings revealed a circular mitochondrial genome spanning 587,847 bp with a GC content of 44.63%. The genome harbors70 unique functional genes, including 40 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 27 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Notably, 9 PCGs contained 22 intronic regions. Codon usage analysis demonstrated a pronounced A/U bias in synonymous codon selection. Structural features included 506 dispersed repeats and 240 simple sequence repeats. Comparative genomics identified 19 chloroplast-derived transfer events, contributing 29,534 bp (3.77% of total mitochondrial DNA). RNA editing prediction revealed 539 C-to-T conversion events across PCGs. Phylogenetic reconstruction using mitochondrial PCGs positioned C. luteoflora in closest evolutionary proximity to Camellia sinensis var. sinensis. Selection pressure analysis (Ka/Ks ratios < 1 for 11 PCGs) and nucleotide diversity assessment (Pi values: 0–0.00711) indicated strong purifying selection and low sequence divergence.This study provides the first comprehensive mitochondrial genomic resource for C. luteoflora, offering critical insights for germplasm conservation, comparative organelle genomics, phylogenetic resolution, and evolutionary adaptation studies in Camellia species.
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spelling doaj-art-c78b6f49a3804a7c87d62e08e55456db2025-08-20T01:53:19ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-04-0125111810.1186/s12870-025-06461-6Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTsXu Xiao0Zhaohui Ran1Chao Yan2Weihao Gu3Zhi Li4College of Forestry, Guizhou UniversityCollege of Forestry, Guizhou UniversityCollege of Forestry, Guizhou UniversityCollege of Forestry, Guizhou UniversityCollege of Forestry, Guizhou UniversityAbstract Camellia luteoflora Y.K. Li ex Hung T. Chang & F.A. Zeng belongs to the Camellia L. genus (Theaceae Mirb.). As an endemic, rare, and critically endangered species in China, it holds significant ornamental and economic value, garnering global attention due to its ecological rarity. Despite its conservation importance, genomic investigations on this species remain limited, particularly in organelle genomics, hindering progress in phylogenetic classification and population identification. In this study, we employed high-throughput sequencing to assemble the first complete mitochondrial genome of C. luteoflora and reannotated its chloroplast genome. Through integrated bioinformatics analyses, we systematically characterized the mitochondrial genome’s structural organization, gene content, interorganellar DNA transfer, sequence variation, and evolutionary relationships.Key findings revealed a circular mitochondrial genome spanning 587,847 bp with a GC content of 44.63%. The genome harbors70 unique functional genes, including 40 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 27 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Notably, 9 PCGs contained 22 intronic regions. Codon usage analysis demonstrated a pronounced A/U bias in synonymous codon selection. Structural features included 506 dispersed repeats and 240 simple sequence repeats. Comparative genomics identified 19 chloroplast-derived transfer events, contributing 29,534 bp (3.77% of total mitochondrial DNA). RNA editing prediction revealed 539 C-to-T conversion events across PCGs. Phylogenetic reconstruction using mitochondrial PCGs positioned C. luteoflora in closest evolutionary proximity to Camellia sinensis var. sinensis. Selection pressure analysis (Ka/Ks ratios < 1 for 11 PCGs) and nucleotide diversity assessment (Pi values: 0–0.00711) indicated strong purifying selection and low sequence divergence.This study provides the first comprehensive mitochondrial genomic resource for C. luteoflora, offering critical insights for germplasm conservation, comparative organelle genomics, phylogenetic resolution, and evolutionary adaptation studies in Camellia species.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06461-6Camellia luteofloraMitochondrial genomeHomologous recombinationRNA editing events
spellingShingle Xu Xiao
Zhaohui Ran
Chao Yan
Weihao Gu
Zhi Li
Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTs
BMC Plant Biology
Camellia luteoflora
Mitochondrial genome
Homologous recombination
RNA editing events
title Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTs
title_full Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTs
title_fullStr Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTs
title_full_unstemmed Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTs
title_short Mitochondrial genome assembly of the Chinese endemic species of Camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination, codon preferences and MTPTs
title_sort mitochondrial genome assembly of the chinese endemic species of camellia luteoflora and revealing its repetitive sequence mediated recombination codon preferences and mtpts
topic Camellia luteoflora
Mitochondrial genome
Homologous recombination
RNA editing events
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06461-6
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