Genome of the Long-Living Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.)

Sacred lotus is a basal eudicot of agricultural, medicinal, cultural, and religious importance, and it is noted for its 1,300-year seed longevity and exceptional water repellency, the "lotus effect.” The lotus genome lacks the paleo-triplication observed in other eudicots, and reveals a ~65 MYA lineage-specific duplication. It evolved slowly, having 30% slower nucleotide mutation rate than that of grape, making it a better resource than the current standard (grape) for reconstructing the pan-eudicot genome and for accelerating comparative analysis between eudicots and monocots. Its seed longevity may be related to expansion of redoxins implicated in cellular protection from reactive oxygen species. The ‘lotus effect’ appears to result from preferential retention of duplicated genes. Striking expansion of genes involved in phosphate signaling, and unusual compositions of several other gene families may reflect adaptation to its aquatic habitat. The lotus genome provides the foundation for clarifying the basis of these and other attributes, including thermogenesis.