Zarkouna Rahma, Hachef Afifa, Fruggiero Carmine, Aufiero Gaetano, D'Angelo Davide, Bourguiba Hedia, Mezghani-Khemakhem Maha, D'Agostino Nunzio, Zehdi-Azouzi Salwa
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Immunology and Biotechnology (LR99ES12), Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, El Manar I, Tunis 2092, Tunisia.
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Jul 16;26(14):6844. doi: 10.3390/ijms26146844.
The date palm ( L.) is a key crop in the arid regions of North Africa and the Middle East, with substantial socioeconomic value. Although multiple genome assemblies have been generated using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, they primarily focus on Middle Eastern cultivars, leaving North African varieties unrepresented. This study aims to address this gap by sequencing and assembling the first genome of a North African date palm using Illumina sequencing technology. We present a draft genome assembly of the elite Tunisian variety Deglet Nour. By comparing it with the Barhee BC4 reference genome, we identify key genetic variants, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertions/deletions (INDELs), potentially associated with ripening processes and fruit quality. This work expands the genomic resources for date palm research, particularly for North African cultivars, and provides new insights into the nucleotide-level variability of the genes linked to key agronomic traits.
海枣（Phoenix dactylifera L.）是北非和中东干旱地区的一种关键作物，具有重大的社会经济价值。尽管已经使用下一代测序（NGS）技术生成了多个基因组组装体，但它们主要集中于中东品种，未涵盖北非品种。本研究旨在通过使用Illumina测序技术对北非海枣的首个基因组进行测序和组装来填补这一空白。我们展示了优良突尼斯品种Deglet Nour的基因组组装草图。通过将其与Barhee BC4参考基因组进行比较，我们鉴定出了关键的遗传变异，包括单核苷酸多态性（SNP）和插入/缺失（INDEL），这些变异可能与成熟过程和果实品质相关。这项工作扩展了海枣研究的基因组资源，特别是针对北非品种的资源，并为与关键农艺性状相关基因的核苷酸水平变异性提供了新见解。
