Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Silene jenisseensis, Arenaria juncea, and Gypsophila licentiana: gene organization, comparative analysis, and phylogenetic relationships.

BACKGROUND

Gypsophila Radix (Chinese: ShanYin ChaiHu) is a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the dried roots of three Caryophyllaceae species: Silene jenisseensis, Arenaria juncea, and Gypsophila licentiana. Clinically, it is used as an adjuvant therapy for hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. However, no reports have yet described the chloroplast genomes of these species. This study aimed to sequence and characterize the chloroplast genomes of these three species and to explore their phylogenetic relationships within Caryophyllaceae.

METHODS

The complete chloroplast genomes of S. jenisseensis, A. juncea, and G. licentiana were sequenced and annotated. Comparative genomic analyses were performed among these species and with representative members of the same family to identify genomic variation, simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and repetitive sequences.

RESULTS

The chloroplast genome of S. jenisseensis, G. licentiana and A. juncea were 161,759 bp, 152,676 bp, and 134,812 bp in length, respectively, showing considerable size variation. A. juncea contained 46 SSRs and 16 repetitive sequences; G. licentiana contained 83 SSRs and 47 repetitive sequences; while, S. jenisseensis had the highest numbers, with 125 SSRs and 50 repetitive sequences, Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these three newly sequenced chloroplast genomes formed well supported subgroups within their respective genera: Silene, Gypsophila, and Arenaria, confirming the monophyly of these genera.

CONCLUSIONS

The comparative analysis of repetitive sequence and SSRs provide valuable insights for developing chloroplast genome-based markers. This study enriches the chloroplast genomic resources of Caryophyllaceae and lays a foundation for species identification, evolution studies and the genetic resource utilization of Caryophyllaceae.