Hyeonah Shim1, Nomar Espinosa Waminal2, Hyun Hee Kim2, Tae-Jin Yang3. 1. Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Korea. 2. Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Bioscience Institute, Sahmyook University, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea. 3. Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Korea. tjyang@snu.ac.kr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Panax ginseng is one of the most valuable medicinal plants in Korea. However, deciphering its full genome sequence information for crop improvement has been hampered due to its complex genomic, genetic, and growth characteristics. Many efforts have been made in the past decade to overcome these limitations and understand the genome structure and the evolutionary history of P. ginseng. METHODS: This review aims to discuss the current status of genomic studies on P. ginseng and related species, and the experimental clues suggesting phylogenetic classification and evolutionary history of the genus Panax. CONCLUSION: The development of sequencing technologies made genome sequencing of the large P. ginseng genome possible, providing fundamental information to deciphering the evolutionary history of P. ginseng and related species. P. ginseng went through two rounds of whole genome duplication events after diverging from the closest family Apiaceae, which was unveiled from complete whole genome sequences. Further in-depth comparative genome analysis with other related species and genera will uncover the evolutionary history as well as important morphological and ecological characteristics of Panax species.
BACKGROUND: Panax ginseng is one of the most valuable medicinal plants in Korea. However, deciphering its full genome sequence information for crop improvement has been hampered due to its complex genomic, genetic, and growth characteristics. Many efforts have been made in the past decade to overcome these limitations and understand the genome structure and the evolutionary history of P. ginseng. METHODS: This review aims to discuss the current status of genomic studies on P. ginseng and related species, and the experimental clues suggesting phylogenetic classification and evolutionary history of the genus Panax. CONCLUSION: The development of sequencing technologies made genome sequencing of the large P. ginseng genome possible, providing fundamental information to deciphering the evolutionary history of P. ginseng and related species. P. ginseng went through two rounds of whole genome duplication events after diverging from the closest family Apiaceae, which was unveiled from complete whole genome sequences. Further in-depth comparative genome analysis with other related species and genera will uncover the evolutionary history as well as important morphological and ecological characteristics of Panax species.