A chromosome-level genome reveals genome evolution and molecular basis of anthraquinone biosynthesis in Rheum palmatum

Rhubarb is one of common traditional Chinese medicine with a diverse array of therapeutic efficacies. Despite its widespread use, molecular research into rhubarb remains limited, constraining our comprehension of the geoherbalism. We assembled the genome of Rheum palmatum L., one of the source plants of rhubarb, to elucidate its genome evolution and unpack the biosynthetic pathways of its bioactive compounds using a combination of PacBio HiFi, Oxford Nanopore, Illumina, and Hi-C scaffolding approaches. Around 2.8 Gb genome was obtained after assembly with more than 99.9