Application of third-generation sequencing to herbal genomics

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Ethnobotany

Background:

• Traditional medicine relies heavily on plant resources, yet comprehensive genetic information is lacking.
• Limited genomic data hinders the full utilization and scientific understanding of medicinal plants.
• Advancements in sequencing technologies are crucial for unlocking the potential of herbal resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare third-generation sequencing (TGS) technologies for medicinal plant genomics.
• To summarize current genome assemblies of commonly used medicinal plants.
• To explore the applications and limitations of TGS in medicinal organism research.

Main Methods:

• Introduction and comparison of PacBio SMRT and Oxford Nanopore sequencing technologies.
• Review of existing nuclear and organelle genome assemblies for medicinal plants.
• Analysis of case studies in genomics, transcriptomics, and molecular identification using TGS.

Main Results:

• TGS techniques offer significant advantages over next-generation sequencing (Illumina) for comprehensive genome assembly.
• Specific examples demonstrate the utility of TGS in understanding medicinal plant genetics.
• Identified advantages and disadvantages of PacBio SMRT and Oxford Nanopore for medicinal applications.

Conclusions:

• TGS is poised to revolutionize herbal genomics by enabling telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assemblies.
• Future research will likely leverage TGS for advanced epigenomics studies in medicinal plants.
• Enhanced genetic information from TGS will facilitate the sustainable exploitation of medicinal plant resources.