Welcome to the Yellowhorn Genome Integrative Explorer

Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium) is a woody oil-producing tree species unique to northern China. This tree species has strong resistance to drought and high ornamental values. It is used as an important pioneer species for ecological afforestation, soil and water conservation and urban greening. The yellowhorn seeds have high oil content, as high as 60%, which is rich in high-quality unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and linoleic acid. The oil is regarded as a superior edible oil. Studies on the physicochemical properties of the yellowhorn oil indicated that it is suitable for use as a raw material for the production of biofuel. Previous studies of yellowhorn mainly focused on its basic biology, the extraction of the chemical constituents and oil, and the production method of biofuel. The genetic improvement of yellowhorn is still at the phenotypic selection stage, while the molecular-assisted breeding and the transgenic system, genome editing and directed mutagenesis are not explored due to the lack of genome resources. In this study, we shall select yellowhorn varieties with different yield and ornamental phenotypes and perform whole genome sequencing and assembly, and structural and functional annotation. We shall clarify the metabolic pathways and regulatory networks of fatty acids and major secondary metabolites biosynthesis in yellowhorn. We will identify major gene families involved in the specific biosynthesis and stress resistance, and study the expansion pattern of these gene families. This study will provide a reference for understanding the genetic/genomic basis of stress resistance and biosynthesis for this tree species, and lay the foundation for molecular breeding and genomic selection.

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