Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Tsuga longibracteata W. C. Cheng (Pinaceae)

Tsuga longibracteata W. C. Cheng is an endangered coniferous species endemic to China. Here, the complete chloroplast genome of this species was assembled and characterized from high-throughput sequencing data. The circular genome of T. longibracteata was 120,900 bp in size, with a pair of inverted repeat regions of 34,239 bp. The chloroplast genome contains 127 genes including 88 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 34 tRNAs and five rRNAs. Most of genes occurred in a single copy, while 29 PCGs, 11 tRNAs and one rRNA are totally duplicated. The overall AT content of the genome is 60.6%. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed by 20 gymnosperm chloroplast genomes reveals all the species of Pinaceae formed a monophyletic clade with high resolution value and T. longibracteata is most related with T. chinensis. This study will pave the way for future research to understand the genomic information and conservation of this endangered endemic relict plant.