A genome assembly of the California poppy, <i>Eschscholzia californica</i>
The California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), a native wildflower of western North America and the state wildflower of California, is characterized by extensive ecological variation and adaptation to diverse climatic conditions. Its broad geographic range and adaptability make it a valuable model for studying how plants respond to changing environmental conditions. Here, we present an updated, near-chromosome-level genome assembly for E. californica, developed as part of the California Conservation Genomics Project. This assembly spans 0.401 Gb and represents an advancement over previous versions, with a scaffold N50 of 66.4 Mb, a contig N50 of 11.8 Mb, and BUSCO completeness of 99.2%, providing near-complete genomic coverage. The enhanced genome assembly described here facilitates precise whole-genome resequencing, providing insights into genetic diversity and gene flow between populations-key factors in understanding the adaptive mechanisms that will support the species' survival in the face of environmental challenges.
Authors
- Courtney Miller
- Mohan P A Marimuthu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6121-3286)
- Jason P. Sexton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4402-4878)
- H. Bradley Shaffer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5795-9242)
- Erin Toffelmier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6028-8497)
- William Seligmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5762-3095)
- Colin W Fairbairn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8129-0095)
- Peter Q. Nguyen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0935-6404)
- Noravit Chumchim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1139-9427)
- Elsa E. Cleland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3920-0029)
- Elizabeth M. Ryan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5043-3590)
- Oanh Nguyen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1492-2084)
- Merly Escalona (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0213-4777)
Institutions
- University of California, Merced (US)
- University of San Diego (US)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (US)
- Getty Conservation Institute (US)
- California Department of Conservation (US)
- University of California San Diego (US)
- Protein Express (United States) (US)
- Santa Cruz County Office of Education (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Heredity
- Published
- 2025-08-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esaf058
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Algal biology and biofuel production
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.36
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Joint Genome Institute
- Office of Science
- Division of Integrative Organismal Systems