Chromosome-level genome assembly of Tamarindus indica

Abstract

Tamarindus indica is the sole member of the genus Tamarindus of the Leguminosae family. It is a multipurpose horticultural plant, with every part of the plant finding importance in food, medicine, and other industries. To gain an understanding of genome structure and evolution, we reported the first high-quality genome assembly of T. indica anchored to 12 chromosomes with N50 of [~]56 Mb. Supported by comprehensive transcriptome data, we reported >48,000 protein-coding genes. Through phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis, we uncovered an independent whole-genome duplication event in T. indica and highlighted the expression divergence of segmentally duplicated genes and their role in the better adaptivity of the plant. Our study thus provides first insights into its genomic organization, evolutionary history, and WGD event and thus becomes an important resource for future genetic and biotechnological studies to understand essential pathways and assist breeding programs for trait enhancements.