Phylogenetic Relationships of the Fern Cyrtomium falcatum (Dryopteridaceae) from Dokdo Island Based on Chloroplast Genome Sequencing

Complete chloroplast genomes and phylogenetic relationships of Pedicularis chinensis and Pedicularis kansuensis

The complete cp genomes of Pedicularis chinensis (GenBank accession number: OQ587614) and Pedicularis kansuensis (GenBank accession number: OQ587613) were sequenced, assembled, and annotated. Their chloroplast (cp) genome lengths were 146,452 bp, and 146,852 bp, respectively; 120 and 116 genes were identified, comprising 75 and 72 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 37 and 36 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 8 and 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, for P. chinensis and P. kansuensis, respectively. A simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis revealed that the repetitive sequences were mainly composed of mononucleotide repeats (A/T motif) and dinucleotide repeats (AT/TA motif). Comparative genomics identified several variant genes (rpl22, rps19, rpl12, ycf1, trnH, psbA, and ndhH) and variant regions (trnS-GGA, trnV-UAC, ndhJ-trnV, ycf4-cemA, ndhE-nhdG, and rpl32-trnL) with a high Pi, indicating the potential to serve as deoxyribo nucleic acid (DNA) barcodes for Pedicularis species identification. The results show that the cp genomes of P. chinensis and P. kansuensis were the same as those of other plants in Pedicularis, with different degrees of AT preference for codons. Large differences in the number of SSRs and the expansion of the inverted repeat (IR) region showed strong variability and interspecific differentiation between these two species and other species represented in the genus Pedicularis. A phylogenetic analysis showed that P. kansuensis had the closest relationship with P. oliveriana, and P. chinensis had the closest relationship with P. aschistorhyncha. These results will facilitate the study of the phylogenetic classification and interspecific evolution of Pedicularis plants.

The first two whole mitochondrial genomes for the genus Dactylis species: assembly and comparative genomics analysis

BACKGROUND

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), a perennial forage, has the advantages of rich leaves, high yield, and good quality and is one of the most significant forage for grassland animal husbandry and ecological management in southwest China. Mitochondrial (mt) genome is one of the major genetic systems in plants. Studying the mt genome of the genus Dactylis could provide more genetic information in addition to the nuclear genome project of the genus.

RESULTS

In this study, we sequenced and assembled two mitochondrial genomes of Dactylis species of D. glomerata (597, 281 bp) and D. aschersoniana (613, 769 bp), based on a combination of PacBio and Illumina. The gene content in the mitochondrial genome of D. aschersoniana is almost identical to the mitochondrial genome of D. glomerata, which contains 22-23 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 8 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and 30 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), while D. glomerata lacks the gene encoding the Ribosomal protein (rps1) and D. aschersoniana contains one pseudo gene (atp8). Twenty-three introns were found among eight of the 30 protein-coding genes, and introns of three genes (nad 1, nad2, and nad5) were trans-spliced in Dactylis aschersoniana. Further, our mitochondrial genome characteristics investigation of the genus Dactylis included codon usage, sequences repeats, RNA editing and selective pressure. The results showed that a large number of short repetitive sequences existed in the mitochondrial genome of D. aschersoniana, the size variation of two mitochondrial genomes is due largely to the presence of a large number of short repetitive sequences. We also identified 52-53 large fragments that were transferred from the chloroplast genome to the mitochondrial genome, and found that the similarity was more than 70%. ML and BI methods used in phylogenetic analysis revealed that the evolutionary status of the genus Dactylis.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, this study reveals the significant rearrangements in the mt genomes of Pooideae species. The sequenced Dactylis mt genome can provide more genetic information and improve our evolutionary understanding of the mt genomes of gramineous plants.

The Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequence of Machilus chuanchienensis (Lauraceae): Genome Structure and Phylogenetic Analysis

Machilus chuanchienensis is an ecological tree distributed in southwestern China. It has a significant valuation with making Hawk tea using its leaves, an ethnic traditional tea-like beverage with a long history in Chinese tea culture. The whole chloroplast (cp) genome is an ideal model for the phylogenetic study of Lauraceae because of its simple structure and highly conserved features. There have been numerous reports of complete cp genome sequences in Lauraceae, but little is known about M. chuanchienensis. Here, the next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to sequence the M. chuanchienensis cp genome. Then, a comprehensive comparative genome analysis was performed. The results revealed that the M. chuanchienensis's cp genome measured 152,748 base pairs (bp) with a GC content of 39.15% and coded 126 genes annotated, including comprising eight ribosomal RNA (rRNA), 36 transporter RNA (tRNA), and 82 protein-coding genes. In addition, the cp genome presented a typical quadripartite structure comprising a large single-copy (LSC; 93,811) region, a small single-copy (SSC; 18,803) region, and the inverted repeats (IRs; 20,067) region and contained 92 simple sequence repeat (SSR) locus in total. Phylogenetic relationships of 37 species indicated that M. chuanchienensis was a sister to M. balansae, M. melanophylla, and M. minutiflora. Further research on this crucial species may benefit significantly from these findings.

Extensive reorganization of the chloroplast genome of Corydalis platycarpa: A comparative analysis of their organization and evolution with other Corydalis plastomes

Introduction

The chloroplast (cp) is an autonomous plant organelle with an individual genome that encodes essential cellular functions. The genome architecture and gene content of the cp is highly conserved in angiosperms. The plastome of Corydalis belongs to the Papaveraceae family, and the genome is comprised of unusual rearrangements and gene content. Thus far, no extensive comparative studies have been carried out to understand the evolution of Corydalis chloroplast genomes.

Methods

Therefore, the Corydalis platycarpa cp genome was sequenced, and wide-scale comparative studies were conducted using publicly available twenty Corydalis plastomes.

Results

Comparative analyses showed that an extensive genome rearrangement and IR expansion occurred, and these events evolved independently in the Corydalis species. By contrast, the plastomes of its closely related subfamily Papaveroideae and other Ranunculales taxa are highly conserved. On the other hand, the synapomorphy characteristics of both accD and the ndh gene loss events happened in the common ancestor of the Corydalis and sub-clade of the Corydalis lineage, respectively. The Corydalis-sub clade species (ndh lost) are distributed predominantly in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP) region. The phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimation were also employed for the Corydalis species.

Discussion

The divergence time of the ndh gene in the Corydalis sub-clade species (44.31 - 15.71 mya) coincides very well with the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Oligocene and Miocene periods, and maybe during this period, it has probably triggered the radiation of the Corydalis species.

Conclusion

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first large-scale comparative study of Corydalis plastomes and their evolution. The present study may provide insights into the plastome architecture and the molecular evolution of Corydalis species.

The chloroplast genome of Amygdalus L. (Rosaceae) reveals the phylogenetic relationship and divergence time

Background

Limited access to genetic information has greatly hindered our understanding of the molecular evolution, phylogeny, and differentiation time of subg. Amygdalus. This study reported complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of subg. Amygdalus, which further enriched the available valuable resources of complete cp genomes of higher plants and deepened our understanding of the divergence time and phylogenetic relationships of subg. Amygdalus.

Results

The results showed that subg. Amygdalus species exhibited a tetrad structure with sizes ranging from 157,736 bp (P. kansuensis) to 158,971 bp (P. davidiana), a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa/IRb) that ranged from 26,137–26,467 bp, a large single-copy region that ranged from 85,757–86,608 bp, and a small single-copy region that ranged from 19,020–19,133 bp. The average GC content of the complete cp genomes in the 12 species was 36.80%. We found that the structure of the subg. Amygdalus complete cp genomes was highly conserved, and the 12 subg. Amygdalus species had an rps19 pseudogene. There was not rearrangement of the complete cp genome in the 12 subg. Amygdalus species. All 12 subg. Amygdalus species clustered into one clade based on both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood. The divergence time analyses based on the complete cp genome sequences showed that subg. Amygdalus species diverged approximately 15.65 Mya.

Conclusion

Our results provide data on the genomic structure of subg. Amygdalus and elucidates their phylogenetic relationships and divergence time.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07968-6.

The Insect database in Dokdo, Korea: An updated version in 2020

Background

Dokdo, a group of islands near the East Coast of South Korea, comprises 89 small islands. These volcanic islands were created by an eruption that also led to the formation of the Ulleungdo Islands (located in the East Sea), which are approximately 87.525 km away from Dokdo. Dokdo is important for geopolitical reasons; however, because of certain barriers to investigation, such as weather and time constraints, knowledge of its insect fauna is limited compared to that of Ulleungdo. Until 2017, insect fauna on Dokdo included 10 orders, 74 families, 165 species and 23 undetermined species; subsequently, from 2018 to 2019, we discovered 23 previously unrecorded species and three undetermined species via an insect survey.

New information

As per our recent study, the database of insect species on Dokdo has been expanded to 10 orders, 81 families, 188 species and 23 undetermined species. This database has been registered in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF; www.GBIF.org) and is the first record for insect fauna on Dokdo.

Mating system evolution and genetic structure of diploid sexual populations of Cyrtomium falcatum in Japan

Evolution of mating systems has become one of the most important research areas in evolutionary biology. Cyrtomium falcatum is a homosporous fern species native to eastern Asia. Two subspecies belonging to a sexual diploid race of C. falcatum are recognized: subsp. littorale and subsp. australe. Subspecies littorale shows intermediate selfing rates, while subsp. australe is an obligate outcrosser. We aimed to evaluate the process of mating system evolution and divergence for the two subspecies using restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). The results showed that subsp. littorale had lower genetic diversity and stronger genetic drift than subsp. australe. Fluctuations in the effective population size over time were evaluated by extended Bayesian skyline plot and Stairway plot analyses, both of which revealed a severe population bottleneck about 20,000 years ago in subsp. littorale. This bottleneck and the subsequent range expansion after the LGM appear to have played an important role in the divergence of the two subspecies and the evolution of selfing in subsp. littorale. These results shed new light on the relationship between mating system evolution and past demographic change in fern species.

Comparative analyses of chloroplast genomes from 13 Lagerstroemia (Lythraceae) species: identification of highly divergent regions and inference of phylogenetic relationships

Seven divergence hotspots as plastid markers for DNA barcoding was selected, and the phylogeny of 13 Lagerstroemia species based on the cp genome data was reconstructed within Myrtales. The Lagerstroemia species used in this study originated in China and have high economic and ecological value. The shared interspecific morphological characteristics and intraspecific morphological variation resulting from hybridization among Lagerstroemia taxa have made resolving their classification problems and phylogenetic relationships difficult. Systematic comparative genomic analysis has been shown to resolve phylogenetic relationships. We sequenced and annotated 6 Lagerstroemia cp genomes (Lagerstroemia excelsa, Lagerstroemia limii, Lagerstroemia siamica, Lagerstroemia tomentosa, Lagerstroemia venusta, and Lagerstroemia calyculata) for the first time and combined them with previously published genomes for Lagerstroemia species. Bioinformatics was used to analyse the 13 cp genomes in terms of gene structure and organization, codon usage, contraction and expansion of inverted repeat regions, repeat structure, divergence hotspots, species pairwise Ka/Ks ratios and phylogenetic relationships. The length varied between 152,049 bp in Lagerstroemia subcostata and 152,521 bp in L. venusta. We selected seven divergence hotspots in the cp genomes that had the potential to act as plastid markers to distinguish Lagerstroemia species. The phylogenetic relationships within Myrtales inferred from the cp genomes of 13 Lagerstroemia species and 27 other Myrtales species were highly supported, which illustrated several novel relationships within Myrtales. Taken together, our results provide comprehensive chloroplast genomic resources, which can be used further for species identification and molecular breeding of Lagerstroemia species.

Complete chloroplast genome of Castanopsis sclerophylla (Lindl.) Schott: Genome structure and comparative and phylogenetic analysis

Castanopsis sclerophylla (Lindl.) Schott is an important species of evergreen broad-leaved tree in subtropical areas and has high ecological and economic value. However, there are few studies on its chloroplast genome. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome sequence of C. sclerophylla was determined using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. The complete chloroplast genome of C. sclerophylla is 160,497 bp long, including a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions (25,675 bp) separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region of 90,255 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,892 bp. The overall GC content of the chloroplast genome is 36.82%. A total of 131 genes were found; of these, 111 genes are unique and annotated, including 79 protein-coding genes, 27 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and four ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). Twenty-one genes were found to be duplicated in the IR regions. Comparative analysis indicated that IR contraction might be the reason for the smaller chloroplast genome of C. sclerophylla compared to three congeneric species. Sequence analysis indicated that the LSC and SSC regions are more divergent than IR regions within Castanopsis; furthermore, greater divergence was found in noncoding regions than in coding regions. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed that four species of the genus Castanopsis form a monophyletic clade and that C. sclerophylla is closely related to Castanopsis hainanensis with strong bootstrap values. These results not only provide a basic understanding of Castanopsis chloroplast genomes, but also illuminate Castanopsis species evolution within the Fagaceae family. Furthermore, these findings will be valuable for future studies of genetic diversity and enhance our understanding of the phylogenetic evolution of Castanopsis.

Plastid genome and composition analysis of two medical ferns: Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai and Osmunda japonica Thunb

Background

Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai and Osmunda japonica Thunb. are ferns that are popularly used for medicine, as recorded by the Chinese pharmacopoeia, and are distributed in different regions of China. However, O. japonica is not record in the Standards of Chinese Herbal Medicines in Hong Kong. Research on identification methods of D. crassirhizoma and O. japonica is necessary and the phylogenetic position of the two species should be identified. The plastid genome is structurally highly conserved, providing valuable sources of genetic markers for phylogenetic analyses and development of molecule makers for identification.

Methods

The plastid genome DNA was extracted from both fern species and then sequenced on the Illumina Hiseq 4000. Sequences were assembled into contigs by SOAPdenovo2.04, aligned to the reference genome using BLAST, and then manually corrected. Genome annotation was performed by the online DOGMA tool. General characteristics of the plastid genomes of the two species were analyzed and compared with closely related species. Additionally, phylogenetical trees were reconstructed by maximum likelihood methods. The content of dryocrassin of the two species were determined according to the Standards of Chinese Herbal Medicines in Hong Kong.

Results

The genome structures of D. crassirhizoma and O. japonica have different characteristics including the genome size, the size of each area, gene location, and types. Moreover, the (simple sequence repeats) SSRs of the plastid genomes were more similar to other species in the same genera. Compared with D. fragrans, D. crassirhizoma shows an inversion (approximately 1.6 kb), and O. japonica shows two inversions (1.9 kb and 216 bp). The nucleotide diversity (polymorphism information, Pi) analysis showed that the psbK gene and rpl14-rpl16 region have the highest Pi value in Dryopteris, and the ycf2-CDS3 and rpl14-rpl16 regions show the highest Pi vale in O. japonica. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the two species were grouped in two separate clades from each other, with both individually located with other members of their genus. The marker content of dryocrassin is not found in O. japonica.

Conclusions

The study is the first to identify plastid genome features of D. crassirhizoma and O. japonica. The results may provide a theoretical basis for the identification and the application of the two medically important fern species.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13020-019-0230-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Echinacanthus Species (Acanthaceae): Phylogenetic Relationships, Adaptive Evolution, and Screening of Molecular Markers

Among the four species of Echinacanthus (Acanthaceae), one distributed in the West Himalayan region and three restricted to the Sino-Vietnamese karst region. Because of its ecological significance, molecular markers are necessary for proper assessment of its genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships. Herein, the complete chloroplast genomes of four Echinacanthus species were determined for the first time. The results indicated that all the chloroplast genomes were mapped as a circular structure and each genomes included 113 unique genes, of which 80 were protein-coding, 29 were tRNAs, and 4 were rRNAs. However, the four cp genomes ranged from 151,333 to 152,672 bp in length. Comparison of the four cp genomes showed that the divergence level was greater between geographic groups. We also analyzed IR expansion or contraction in the four cp genomes and the fifth type of the large single copy/inverted repeat region in Lamiales was suggested. Furthermore, based on the analyses of comparison and nucleotide variability, six most divergent sequences (rrn16, ycf1, ndhA, rps16-trnQ-UUG, trnS-GCU-trnG-UCC, and psaA-ycf3) were identified. A total of 37-45 simple sequence repeats were discovered in the four species and 22 SSRs were identified as candidate effective molecular markers for detecting interspecies polymorphisms. These SSRs and hotspot regions could be used as potential molecular markers for future study. Phylogenetic analysis based on Bayesian and parsimony methods did not support the monophyly of Echinacanthus. The phylogenetic relationships among the four species were clearly resolved and the results supported the recognition of the Sino-Vietnamese Echinacanthus species as a new genus. Based on the protein sequence evolution analysis, 12 genes (rpl14, rpl16, rps4, rps15, rps18, rps19, psbK, psbN, ndhC, ndhJ, rpoB, and infA) were detected under positive selection in branch of Sino-Vietnamese Echinacanthus species. These genes will lead to understanding the adaptation of Echinacanthus species to karst environment. The study will help to resolve the phylogenetic relationship and understand the adaptive evolution of Echinacanthus. It will also provide genomic resources and potential markers suitable for future species identification and speciation studies of the genus.

Comparative Chloroplast Genome Analysis of Rhubarb Botanical Origins and the Development of Specific Identification Markers

Rhubarb is an important ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine known as Rhei radix et rhizome. However, this common name refers to three different botanical species with different pharmacological effects. To facilitate the genetic identification of these three species for their more precise application in Chinese medicine we here want to provide chloroplast sequences with specific identification sites that are easy to amplify. We therefore sequenced the complete chloroplast genomes of all three species and then screened those for suitable sequences describing the three species. The length of the three chloroplast genomes ranged from 161,053 bp to 161,541 bp, with a total of 131 encoded genes including 31 tRNA, eight rRNA and 92 protein-coding sequences. The simple repeat sequence analysis indicated the differences existed in these species, phylogenetic analyses showed the chloroplast genome can be used as an ultra-barcode to distinguish the three botanical species of rhubarb, the variation of the non-coding regions is higher than that of the protein coding regions, and the variations in single-copy region are higher than that in inverted repeat. Twenty-one specific primer pairs were designed and eight specific identification sites were experimentally confirmed that can be used as special DNA barcodes for the identification of the three species based on the highly variable regions. This study provides a molecular basis for precise medicinal plant selection, and supplies the groundwork for the next investigation of the closely related Rheum species comparing and correctly identification on these important medicinal species.

The complete plastome sequence of Rubus takesimensis endemic to Ulleung Island, Korea: Insights into molecular evolution of anagenetically derived species in Rubus (Rosaceae)

Previous phylogenetic studies have suggested that Rubus takesimensis (Rosaceae), which is endemic to Ulleung Island, Korea, is closely related to R. crataegifolius, which is broadly distributed across East Asia. A recent phylogeographic study also suggested the possible polyphyletic origins of R. takesimensis from multiple source populations of its continental progenitor R. crataegifolius in China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East. However, even though the progenitor-derivative relationship between R. crataegifolius and R. takesimensis has been established, little is known about the chloroplast genome (i.e., plastome) evolution of anagenetically derived species on oceanic islands and their continental progenitor species. In the present study, we characterized the complete plastome of R. takesimensis and compared it to those of R. crataegifolius and four other Rubus species. The R. takesimensis plastome was 155,760 base pairs (bp) long, a total of 46 bp longer than the plastome of R. crataegifolius (28 from LSC and 18 from SSC). No structural or content rearrangements were found between the species pairs. Four highly variable intergenic regions (rpl32/trnL, rps4/trnT, trnT/trnL, and psbZ/trnG) were identified between R. takesimensis and R. crataegifolius. Compared to the plastomes of other congeneric species (R. corchorifolius, R. fockeanus, and R. niveus), six highly variable intergenic regions (ndhC/psaC, rps16/trnQ, trnK/rps16, trnL/trnF, trnM/atpE, and trnQ/psbK) were also identified. A total of 116 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), including 48 mononucleotide, 64 dinucleotide, and four trinucleotide repeat motifs were characterized in R. takesimensis. The plastome resources generated by the present study will help to elucidate plastome evolution within the genus and to resolve phylogenetic relationships within highly complex and reticulated lineages. Phylogenetic analysis supported both the monophyly of Rubus and the sister relationship between R. crataegifolius and R. takesimensis.

Comparative analysis of inverted repeats of polypod fern (Polypodiales) plastomes reveals two hypervariable regions

BACKGROUND

Ferns are large and underexplored group of vascular plants (~ 11 thousands species). The genomic data available by now include low coverage nuclear genomes sequences and partial sequences of mitochondrial genomes for six species and several plastid genomes.

RESULTS

We characterized plastid genomes of three species of Dryopteris, which is one of the largest fern genera, using sequencing of chloroplast DNA enriched samples and performed comparative analysis with available plastomes of Polypodiales, the most species-rich group of ferns. We also sequenced the plastome of Adianthum hispidulum (Pteridaceae). Unexpectedly, we found high variability in the IR region, including duplication of rrn16 in D. blanfordii, complete loss of trnI-GAU in D. filix-mas, its pseudogenization due to the loss of an exon in D. blanfordii. Analysis of previously reported plastomes of Polypodiales demonstrated that Woodwardia unigemmata and Lepisorus clathratus have unusual insertions in the IR region. The sequence of these inserted regions has high similarity to several LSC fragments of ferns outside of Polypodiales and to spacer between tRNA-CGA and tRNA-TTT genes of mitochondrial genome of Asplenium nidus. We suggest that this reflects the ancient DNA transfer from mitochondrial to plastid genome occurred in a common ancestor of ferns. We determined the marked conservation of gene content and relative evolution rate of genes and intergenic spacers in the IRs of Polypodiales. Faster evolution of the four intergenic regions had been demonstrated (trnA- orf42, rrn16-rps12, rps7-psbA and ycf2-trnN).

CONCLUSIONS

IRs of Polypodiales plastomes are dynamic, driven by such events as gene loss, duplication and putative lateral transfer from mitochondria.

Comparative Analysis of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of Four Endangered Herbals of Notopterygium

Notopterygium H. de Boissieu (Apiaceae) is an endangered perennial herb endemic to China. A good knowledge of phylogenetic evolution and population genomics is conducive to the establishment of effective management and conservation strategies of the genus Notopterygium. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of four Notopterygium species (N. incisum C. C. Ting ex H. T. Chang, N. oviforme R. H. Shan, N. franchetii H. de Boissieu and N. forrestii H. Wolff) were assembled and characterized using next-generation sequencing. We investigated the gene organization, order, size and repeat sequences of the cp genome and constructed the phylogenetic relationships of Notopterygium species based on the chloroplast DNA and nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Comparative analysis of plastid genome showed that the cp DNA are the standard double-stranded molecule, ranging from 157,462 bp (N. oviforme) to 159,607 bp (N. forrestii) in length. The circular DNA each contained a large single-copy (LSC) region, a small single-copy (SSC) region, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs). The cp DNA of four species contained 85 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, respectively. We determined the marked conservation of gene content and sequence evolutionary rate in the cp genome of four Notopterygium species. Three genes (psaI, psbI and rpoA) were possibly under positive selection among the four sampled species. Phylogenetic analysis showed that four Notopterygium species formed a monophyletic clade with high bootstrap support. However, the inconsistent interspecific relationships with the genus Notopterygium were identified between the cp DNA and ITS markers. The incomplete lineage sorting, convergence evolution or hybridization, gene infiltration and different sampling strategies among species may have caused the incongruence between the nuclear and cp DNA relationships. The present results suggested that Notopterygium species may have experienced a complex evolutionary history and speciation process.

Completion of Eight Gynostemma BL. (Cucurbitaceae) Chloroplast Genomes: Characterization, Comparative Analysis, and Phylogenetic Relationships

Gynostemma BL., belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, is a genus containing 17 creeping herbaceous species mainly distributed in East Asia. It can be divided into two subgenera based on different fruit morphology. Herein, we report eight complete chloroplast genome sequences of the genus Gynostemma, which were obtained by Illumina paired-end sequencing, assembly, and annotation. The length of the eight complete cp genomes ranged from 157,576 bp (G. pentaphyllum) to 158,273 bp (G. laxiflorum). Each encoded 133 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes, and one pseudogene. The four types of repeated sequences had been discovered and indicated that the repeated structure for species in the Subgen. Triostellum was greater than that for species in the Subgen. Gynostemma. The percentage of variation of the eight cp genomes in different regions were calculated, which demonstrated that the coding and inverted repeats regions were highly conserved. Phylogenetic analysis based on Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods strongly supported the phylogenetic position of the genus Gynostemma as a member of family Cucurbitaceae. The phylogenetic relationships among the eight species were clearly resolved using the complete cp genome sequences in this study. It will also provide potential molecular markers and candidate DNA barcodes for future studies and enrich the valuable complete cp genome resources of Cucurbitaceae.