Brasenia schreberi, commonly known as watershield, is a solitary member of its genus. It thrives as a perennial freshwater aquatic plant in various regions of the America, Africa, Australasia, and Asia. The plant's most distinctive feature is the production of a dense mucilaginous coating on the undersides of its young leaves and buds. This mucilage, a gelatinous matrix composed primarily of polysaccharides called pectins, serves several functions, from shielding against herbivory to acting as a natural antibacterial agent.

To unravel the genetic intricacies of this species, researchers from the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences assembled a high-quality genome sequence for B. schreberi through a fusion of PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C technologies. It deepens the understanding of the intricate mechanisms behind the unique characteristics of this plant.

According to the researchers, this genomic masterpiece spans 1,170.4 Mb, revealing a wealth of insights into the plant's biology. In particular, they identified 74,699 fully annotated protein-coding gene models.

By decoding its genome, the study paves the way for comprehensive conservation strategies. The genome provides a roadmap for understanding the population genetics of the species, aiding in its protection and restoration.

In addition, the genomic study of this basal angiosperm provides a unique opportunity to delve into the early evolutionary history of flowering plants.

This resource not only enriches our understanding of plant evolution, but also reveals the molecular basis of mucilage secretion. This study has the potential to improve plant breeding efforts in aquatic agriculture.

The results, entitled "Chromosome-level genome assembly of watershield (Brasenia schreberi)," were published in Scientific data.