Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the plastid genome of Ipomoea dumosa (Convolvulaceae)

Background: Ipomoea, with a controversial classification, is one of the largest genera of the angiosperms. Relative to the enormous number of members of this genus, only a few plastid genomes of Ipomoea species have been sequenced. Questions and Hypotheses: We focus on sequencing and characterizing the plastid of an underutilized edible Mesoamerican species, I. dumosa, known as “Xonequi” to conduct phylogenetic analyses. We hypothesize that I. dumosa will prove to be related to species previously identified in the “Quamoclit clade”. Studied species: Twenty-seven plastid genomes of Ipomoea species have been fully sequenced and were included in phylogenetic analyses, and the outgroup was Merremia hederacea. Methods: Sequencing was conducted using the PacBio HiFi technology and the assembly with OrganellePBA. Model Test was implemented on the non-partitioned alignment to find the evolutionary model. Maximum Likelihood tree reconstruction was conducted, with 1,000 bootstrap replicates. Results:. The plastid genome of Ipomoea dumosa shows similar size and characteristics to previously analyzed chloroplast genomes of the genus. The phylogenetic reconstruction depicts I. dumosa as closely related to I. quamoclit. Conclusions: Our results suggest that I. dumosa belongs to the Quamoclit clade, with which it shares several vegetative and floral traits.