A haplotype-resolved reference genome of Quercus alba sheds light on the evolutionary history of oaks.

ABSTRACT: White oak (Quercus alba) is an abundant forest tree species across eastern North America that is ecologically, culturally, and economically important. We report the first haplotype-resolved chromosome-scale genome assembly of Q. alba and conduct comparative analyses of genome structure and gene content against other published Fagaceae genomes. We investigate the genetic diversity of this widespread species and the phylogenetic relationships among oaks using whole genome data. Despite strongly conserved chromosome synteny and genome size across Quercus, certain gene families have undergone rapid changes in size, including defense genes. Unbiased annotation of resistance (R) genes across oaks revealed that the overall number of R genes is similar across species - as are the chromosomal locat

SUBMITTER: Larson DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11883056 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature