The chromosome-level quality genome provides insights into the evolution of the biosynthesis genes for aroma compounds of Osmanthus fragrans

Genome sequences: Discovering a sweet secret A high-quality genome sequence for sweet olive, Osmanthus fragrans, has revealed which genes make the ornamental tree’s blossoms so fragrant. Lianggui Wang at Nanjing Forestry University in China and coworkers used cutting-edge approaches to produce a high-resolution picture of sweet olive’s genome. Analysis of the full sequence revealed that sweet olive has a large number of genes, more than 45,000. Further investigation showed that the entire genome had been duplicated, or accidentally copied, several million years ago. Thanks to the duplication, sweet olive has extra copies of the genes that produce its scent compound, resulting in its very strong scent. These results are only the beginning. Having this first sequence makes sequencing other varieties of sweet olive much easier, and future comparisons between genomes will help to pinpoint genes that control many other traits.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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