Genome assembly of pomegranate highlights structural variations driving population differentiation and key loci underpinning cold adaption.

Cold damage poses a significant challenge to the cultivation of soft-seeded pomegranate varieties, hindering the growth of the pomegranate industry. The genetic basis of cold tolerance in pomegranates has remained elusive, largely due to the lack of high-quality genome assemblies for cold-tolerant varieties and comprehensive population-scale genomic studies. In this study, we addressed these challenges by assembling a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome for 'Sanbai', a pomegranate variety renowned for its freezing resistance, achieving an impressive contig N50 of 15.

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) draft genome dissects genetic divergence between soft- and hard-seeded cultivars.

Complete and highly accurate reference genomes and gene annotations are indispensable for basic biological research and trait improvement of woody tree species. In this study, we integrated single-molecule sequencing and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture techniques to produce a high-quality and long-range contiguity chromosome-scale genome assembly of the soft-seeded pomegranate cultivar 'Tunisia'. The genome covers 320.

Complementary iTRAQ-based proteomic and RNA sequencing-based transcriptomic analyses reveal a complex network regulating pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit peel colour.

Peel colour is an important factor affecting the marketability of pomegranate fruits. Therefore, elucidating the genetic mechanism of fruit peel colour development may be useful for breeding pomegranate cultivars with enhanced fruit peel colours. In this study, we combined an iTRAQ-based proteome-level analysis with an RNA sequencing-based transcriptome-level analysis to detect the proteins and genes related to fruit peel colour development in pomegranate.

Integrated microRNA and mRNA expression profiling reveals a complex network regulating pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed hardness.

The breeding of new soft-seeded pomegranate cultivars provides new products for the market and increases farmers' incomes, yet the genetic architecture mediating seed hardness is largely unknown. Here, the seed hardness and hundred-seed weights of 26 cultivars were determined in 2 successive years. We conducted miRNA and mRNA sequencing to analyse the seeds of two varieties of Punica granatum: soft-seeded Tunisia and hard-seeded Sanbai, at 60 and 120 d after flowering.

Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Candidate Genes for Female Sterility in Pomegranate Flowers.

Pomegranate has two types of flowers on the same plant: functional male flowers (FMF) and bisexual flowers (BF). BF are female-fertile flowers that can set fruits. FMF are female-sterile flowers that fail to set fruit and that eventually drop.

De novo transcriptome assembly and quantification reveal differentially expressed genes between soft-seed and hard-seed pomegranate (Punica granatum L.).

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) belongs to Punicaceae, and is valued for its social, ecological, economic, and aesthetic values, as well as more recently for its health benefits. The 'Tunisia' variety has softer seeds and big arils that are easily swallowed.