Genome size and identification of repetitive DNA sequences using low coverage sequencing in Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Apocynaceae: Gentianales)

Repetitive DNA is an important component of eukaryotic genomes, accounting for more than 90% of the genome size of some species, including mobile elements and satellite DNA sequences. The aim of study was to characterize the genome of Hancornia speciosa Gomes using C-value genome size estimate and repetitive DNA sequences analysis. The genome size estimate was obtained by flow cytometry and the repetitive DNA sequences were accessed using graph-based clustering. Evolutionary relationships among species of Apocynaceae was obtained using reads of Catharanthus roseus L., Rhayza stricta Decne, and Asclepias syriaca L. from the NCBI and analyzed by graph-based clustering. The genome size estimates in two botanical varieties showed 2C-values ranging from 0.88 to 1.08 pg, indicating small genome size. Clusters representing repeats making up at least 0.01% of the genome revealed the proportion of repetitive DNA ranging from 19.87% (H. speciosa) to 51.674% (A. syriaca), of which the mobile elements were more abundant. Satellite DNA sequences were not found in H. speciosa and R. stricta, while at least one satellite was detected in C. roseus and A. syriaca, suggesting that the LTR retrotransposon Ty3/Gypsy/Chromovirus may have replaced the satellite DNA in H. speciosa and R. stricta.