Complete sequence of the Achillea ptarmica chloroplast genome determined by long-read sequencing.

Abstract

Achillea species, commonly referred to as yarrow, belong to the family Asteraceae and are typically perennial, outbreeding plants used in traditional medicine. The genus Achillea has undergone hybridization and polyploidization events, resulting in phylogenetically complex relationships. Considering the limited scope of genomic studies on this genus, a genomic analysis of a diploid Achillea species is important for advancing our understanding of its evolutionary biology and genetic diversity. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast genome sequence of a diploid Achillea species (A. ptarmica) using nanopore long-read sequencing technology. The assembled chloroplast genome (149,252 bp), with a GC content of 38%, was revealed to include a large single-copy region (82,498 bp), a small single-copy region (18,458 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (24,148 bp each). The genome contains 89 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs. A phylogenetic analysis clustered A. ptarmica with other Achillea species (A. millefolium and A. wilsoniana), positioning them within the same clade as the genus Tanacetum. The accuracy of nanopore sequencing was validated by comparing the results for 10 chloroplast genes with the corresponding Sanger sequencing results. Our findings provide valuable genetic resources for further taxonomic, evolutionary, and phylogenetic studies of the genus Achillea.