Phased genome sequence of an interspecific hybrid flowering cherry, ‘Somei-Yoshino’ (Cerasus × yedoensis)

We report the phased genome sequence of an interspecific hybrid, the flowering cherry Somei-Yoshino (Cerasus × yedoensis). The sequence was determined by single-molecule real-time sequencing technology and assembled using a trio-binning strategy in which allelic variation was resolved to obtain phased sequences. The resultant assembly consisting of two haplotype genomes spanned 690.1 Mb with 4,552 contigs and an N50 length of 1.0 Mb. We predicted 95,076 high-confidence genes, including 94.9% of the core eukaryotic genes. Based on a high-density genetic map, we established a pair of eight pseudomolecule sequences, with highly conserved structures between two genome sequences with 2.4 million sequence variants. A whole genome resequencing analysis of flowering cherry varieties suggested that Somei-Yoshino is derived from a cross between C. spachiana and either C. speciose or its derivative. Transcriptome data for flowering date revealed comprehensive changes in gene expression in floral bud development toward flowering. These genome and transcriptome data are expected to provide insights into the evolution and cultivation of flowering cherry and the molecular mechanism underlying flowering.