The genome of a mangrove plant, Avicennia marina, provides insights into adaptation to coastal intertidal habitats.

ABSTRACT

MAIN CONCLUSION: Whole-genome duplication, gene family and lineage-specific genes analysis based on high-quality genome reveal the adaptation mechanisms of Avicennia marina to coastal intertidal habitats. Mangrove plants grow in a complex habitat of coastal intertidal zones with high salinity, hypoxia, etc. Therefore, it is an interesting question how mangroves adapt to the unique intertidal environment. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome of the Avicennia marina, a typical true mangrove with a size of 480.43 Mb, contig N50 of 11.33 Mb and 30,956 annotated protein-coding genes. We identified 621 Avicennia-specific genes that are mainly related to flavonoid and lignin biosynthesis, auxin homeostasis and response to abiotic stimulus. We found that A. marina underwent a novel specific whole-genome duplication, which is in line with a brief era of global warming that occurred during the paleocene-eocene maximum. Comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses outline the distinct evolution and sophisticated regulations of A. marina adaptation to the intertidal environments, including expansion of photosynthesis and oxidative phosphorylation gene families, unique genes and pathways for antibacterial, detoxifying antioxidant and reactive oxygen species scavenging. In addition, we also analyzed salt gland secretion-related genes, and those involved in the red bark-related flavonoid biosynthesis, while significant expansions of key genes such as NHX, 4CL, CHS and CHI. High-quality genomes in future investigations will facilitate the understand of evolution of mangrove and improve breeding.