Draft genome sequence of the rubber tree <it>Hevea brasiliensis</it>

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Hevea brasiliensis,</it> a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, is the major commercial source of natural rubber (NR). NR is a latex polymer with high elasticity, flexibility, and resilience that has played a critical role in the world economy since 1876.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we report the draft genome sequence of <it>H. brasiliensis</it>. The assembly spans ~1.1 Gb of the estimated 2.15 Gb haploid genome. Overall, ~78% of the genome was identified as repetitive DNA. Gene prediction shows 68,955 gene models, of which 12.7% are unique to <it>Hevea</it>. Most of the key genes associated with rubber biosynthesis, rubberwood formation, disease resistance, and allergenicity have been identified.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The knowledge gained from this genome sequence will aid in the future development of high-yielding clones to keep up with the ever increasing need for natural rubber.</p