High-Quality Reference Genome Assembled for Shatavari, a Medicinal Plant Used in Ayurveda
Researchers have assembled a chromosome-scale reference genome for Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari), a medicinal plant central to Ayurvedic medicine, using advanced long-read sequencing technologies. The 817 Mb assembly covers all ten major chromosomes with near-complete gene space coverage and was generated from the CIM-Shakti variety. This genomic resource is expected to accelerate research into the plant's medicinal compound biosynthesis, molecular breeding, and conservation efforts.
A research team has produced a high-quality, chromosome-scale reference genome for Asparagus racemosus var. CIM-Shakti, commonly known as Shatavari, using PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing combined with Omni-C chromatin conformation scaffolding. The pseudo-haploid assembly spans approximately 817 Mb organized across 53 scaffolds, with ten chromosome-scale pseudomolecules resolved corresponding to the species' haploid chromosome complement. Gene space completeness was exceptionally high, with BUSCO scores of 99.8% against the Eukaryota dataset and 98.0% against the Embryophyta dataset, and no significant contamination was detected. Repeat elements account for over 71% of the genome, dominated by LTR retrotransposons — particularly Gypsy elements — suggesting repeat-driven genome expansion as a major evolutionary force in this lineage. Structural and functional annotation identified 29,199 protein-coding genes with robust multi-exon transcript structures. Shatavari is prized in Ayurveda for its steroidal saponins, especially shatavarin compounds, which underlie its adaptogenic, galactagogue, and immunomodulatory properties, and this genome will provide a critical foundation for elucidating their biosynthetic pathways. The resource is also expected to support sex chromosome evolution studies, comparative genomics within Asparagaceae, and the development of climate-resilient cultivars through genomics-assisted breeding.
What's missing
As a preprint, this work has not yet undergone formal peer review, and independent validation of the assembly's accuracy and annotation completeness has not been reported. The study does not include functional validation of the identified biosynthetic genes involved in steroidal saponin production, nor does it address population-level genomic diversity across Shatavari varieties. The degree to which the CIM-Shakti variety is representative of the broader species remains uncharacterized.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
A high-quality chromosome-scale reference genome assembly for Asparagus racemosus var. CIM-Shakti (Shatavari), a medicinal plant of Ayurvedic importance
Related
Gut Bacteria Enzyme Found to Break Down Heat-Processed Food Compounds, Producing Novel Biogenic Amines
Researchers have discovered that an enzyme in common gut bacteria can degrade N-epsilon-carboxymethyllysine (CML), a compound formed during thermal food processing, producing previously unknown biogenic amines. The enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase SpeC from enterobacteria, acts on CML and related modified lysine derivatives through a low-level 'underground' catalytic activity. This finding suggests a previously unrecognized communication axis between thermally processed dietary compounds and gut microbial physiology, with potential implications for host health.
Full-Length Gene Sequencing Reveals Two Distinct Bacterial Communities in Black-Legged Ticks Expanding Into Canada
Researchers used Oxford Nanopore full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the microbiome of Ixodes scapularis black-legged ticks collected in Nova Scotia, Canada, distinguishing between tick-adapted bacteria and environmentally acquired bacteria. The study comes as I. scapularis — the primary vector of Lyme disease — is rapidly expanding northward into Canada due to climate change. The findings suggest that environmentally derived bacteria in tick microbiomes are not mere contamination, which has implications for how tick microbiome data is collected and interpreted across surveillance studies.
Study Identifies Metabolic Link Between Cell Envelope Stress and Biofilm Formation in Bacteria
Researchers have discovered that the metabolite acetyl-CoA directly inhibits enzymes that degrade the bacterial signaling molecule c-di-GMP, connecting cell envelope biosynthesis stress to biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The study found that sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics targeting early peptidoglycan biosynthesis — but not other antibiotic classes — elevate c-di-GMP levels by reducing phosphodiesterase activity, with acetyl-CoA competing for the enzyme active site. Because the relevant enzyme domain is broadly conserved across bacterial species, this checkpoint mechanism may be widespread and could have implications for understanding antibiotic-induced biofilm responses.