The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Aconitum coreanum and Aconitum carmichaelii and comparative analysis with other Aconitum species

PLoS One. 2017 Sep 1;12(9):e0184257. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184257. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Aconitum species (belonging to the Ranunculaceae) are well known herbaceous medicinal ingredients and have great economic value in Asian countries. However, there are still limited genomic resources available for Aconitum species. In this study, we sequenced the chloroplast (cp) genomes of two Aconitum species, A. coreanum and A. carmichaelii, using the MiSeq platform. The two Aconitum chloroplast genomes were 155,880 and 157,040 bp in length, respectively, and exhibited LSC and SSC regions separated by a pair of inverted repeat regions. Both cp genomes had 38% GC content and contained 131 unique functional genes including 86 protein-coding genes, eight ribosomal RNA genes, and 37 transfer RNA genes. The gene order, content, and orientation of the two Aconitum cp genomes exhibited the general structure of angiosperms, and were similar to those of other Aconitum species. Comparison of the cp genome structure and gene order with that of other Aconitum species revealed general contraction and expansion of the inverted repeat regions and single copy boundary regions. Divergent regions were also identified. In phylogenetic analysis, Aconitum species positon among the Ranunculaceae was determined with other family cp genomes in the Ranunculales. We obtained a barcoding target sequence in a divergent region, ndhC-trnV, and successfully developed a SCAR (sequence characterized amplified region) marker for discrimination of A. coreanum. Our results provide useful genetic information and a specific barcode for discrimination of Aconitum species.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aconitum / classification
  • Aconitum / genetics*
  • Base Composition
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Gene Order
  • Genes, Plant
  • Genome, Chloroplast*
  • Genomics
  • Microsatellite Repeats
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • RNA, Transfer / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Transfer

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a grant from Development of Foundational Techniques for the Domestic Production of Authentic Herbal Medicines based on the Establishment of Molecular Authentication System (K16403) from the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM). The grant was funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning (MSIP) of Republic of Korea. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.