A reference genome sequence for the exceptionally long-lived Great Basin bristlecone pine, Pinus longaeva.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Level 5 by design analogy (non-human reference genome assembly and descriptive genomic analysis)
PubMed 41843762 · doi:10.1093/g3journal/jkag064
What was done
Short-read and long-read DNA sequencing were generated from haploid megagametophyte and diploid needle tissues of the Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva). A custom assembly pipeline was applied to construct the nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial genomes. The authors evaluated candidate genetic mechanisms previously proposed to mediate extreme longevity, focusing on nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptor (NLR) gene family size and telomere lengths relative to other conifers.
What was found
The nuclear genome was assembled to a total size of 23.8 gigabases with a scaffold N50 of 1.2 gigabases. Chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes were assembled into circular chromosomes measuring 120 kilobases and 8.68 megabases, respectively. Genomic analysis did not identify strong evidence supporting NLR gene expansion or larger-than-average telomere lengths relative to other conifers as drivers of longevity.
Why it matters
This provides the first high-contiguity reference genome for one of the longest-lived tree species on Earth, establishing a baseline resource for studying plant longevity, gymnosperm genome evolution, and subalpine stress adaptation.
Limits
The abstract does not specify the number of individual specimens sampled. Hypotheses regarding longevity were assessed through descriptive genomic comparisons without functional assays, expression profiling, somatic mutation tracking, or epigenetic measurements.
Cited by
- supports The bristlecone pine is the longest-lived tree species in the world and can live for thousands of years.