Can Chen

and 11 more

Wild rice, as the ancestor of cultivated rice, has accumulated a vast array of beneficial traits through prolonged natural selection and evolution. O. officinalis, belonging to the C genome, differs significantly from the A genome. In this study, we utilized second- and third-generation sequencing, along with Hi-C technology, to sequence the genome of MT10 (O. officinalis). The assembled genome size is 552.58 Mb, with N50 lengths of 40.04 Mb and 44.48 Mb for contigs and scaffolds, respectively, and 96.73% of the sequences anchored to 12 chromosomes. The MT10 genome was annotated to 33,813 genes, with repetitive sequences accounting for 54.24% of the genome. The number of unique genes in MT10 is higher than in O. officinalis from Thailand, with their divergence time estimated at 1.3-2.1 million years ago (Mya). The number of expanded gene families in MT10 is lower than that of contracted gene families, with the expanded gene families mainly related to disease and pest resistance. Comparative analysis between the genomes of MT10 and Nipponbare revealed numerous structural variations and sequence differences in some resistance-related genes. The R genes and cystatin gene family in MT10 may confer its unique insect resistance. Transcriptome analysis of MT10 suggests that flavonoid biosynthesis and MAPK-related genes may play important roles in its resistance to brown planthopper (BPH). This study represents the first chromosome-level genome assembly of MT10, providing a reference sequence for the efficient cloning of beneficial genes from O. officinalis, which holds significant implications for the genetic improvement of cultivated rice.