Pollen fertility is a critical factor in seed development and crop breeding. Extensive studies have explored the mechanisms of pollen fertility in model plants and economic crops. However, the mechanisms of pollen abortion in medicinal and edible plants, including Lycium barbarum, remain elusive. This study utilized transcriptome analysis to identify key genes and regulatory networks implicated in pollen fertility in L. barbarum. The results demonstrated differential expression of 12,185 genes (DEGs) between the sterile and fertile lines, encompassing 489 genes that exhibited variation across the five stages of pollen development. Additionally, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the DEGs were predominantly associated with energy metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and notably, hydrolase activity. Co-expression network analysis unveiled two modules intimately associated with fertility, each comprising 908 and 756 hub genes, incorporating β-1,3-glucanase genes (Glu) and co-expressed transcription factors (TFs). Phylogenetic analysis implied that LbGlu1 was a potential candidate gene implicated in regulating pollen abortion in L. barbarum. This work advances a novel understanding of pollen abortion in L. barbarum and offers theoretical support for the utilization of sterility genes to enhance crop improvement.

Medicago is an economically important forage genus widely distributed across China, yet its mitochondrial genomes remain poorly understood. Comprehensive c

Introduction: Gypsophila vaccaria (Caryophyllaceae) is a medicinal plant with over 2,000 years of documented use in China. Despite its known pharmacological properties and phytochemical profile, no organellar genomic resources are currently available, limiting evolutionary studies and molecular breeding efforts.Methods: We assembled the complete mitochondrial (361,814 bp) and quadripartite chloroplast (150,050 bp) genomes of G. vaccaria using HiFi sequencing. Codon usage, RNA editing, and selection pressure were analyzed, and phylogenomic relationships were inferred. Species-specific SSR markers were identified for potential molecular applications.Results: HiFi-based assembly revealed exceptional mitochondrial genome plasticity, with 15.6% (56.7 Kb) derived from chloroplast DNA transfers—the highest reported in Caryophyllaceae—including 12 functional genes (e.g., rps7, ndhB, rrn16S). Both organellar genomes show A/U-biased codon usage (mitochondrial RSCU: 29/44 codons) and divergent RNA editing (257 mitochondrial vs. 105 chloroplast C-to-U sites). Positive selection (Ka/Ks > 1) was detected in cytochrome c maturation genes (ccmFN, ccmB, ccmFC), contrasting with overall purifying selection (median ω = 0.32). Phylogenomic analyses robustly resolved Caryophyllaceae–Amaranthaceae sisterhood (BS = 100%).Discussion: As the first organellar genomes from Gypsophila, this study provides insights into lineage-specific adaptations through chloroplast-mitochondrial co-evolution. The 56.7 Kb MTPTs and positively selected cytochrome c genes serve as targets for adaptive evolution research, while 81 species-specific SSRs facilitate molecular marker development in Caryophyllaceae.

Gypsophila vaccaria Sm., a member of the Caryophyllaceae family, is known for its dry mature seeds, which are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine as “Wang Bu Liu Xing”. This study presents a high-quality, chromosome-scale genome assembly of G. vaccaria, integrating Hi-C technology with PacBio and Illumina sequencing data. The final assembled genome measures 1.09 Gb in total length, with a contig N50 of 9.73 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 73.3 Mb, and complete benchmarking universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO) for the genome and protein modes were 95.9% and 94.9%. Notably, 99.93% of the sequences are anchored to 15 pseudo-chromosomes. A total of 21,795 protein-coding genes were predicted, and repetitive elements were found to constitute 80.43% of the assembled genome. This chromosome-level genome assembly serves as an invaluable resource for future research, including functional genomics and molecular breeding of G. vaccaria.

Krascheninnikovia arborescens is a drought-tolerant subshrub of the Amaranthaceae family that is endemic to China and plays an important role in desert eco

Cercis chinensis is a leguminous species with notable ornamental value and considerable economic potential, and is primarily distributed in southern China.