@article { , title = {Primula vulgaris (primrose) genome assembly, annotation and gene expression, with comparative genomics on the heterostyly supergene}, abstract = {Primula vulgaris (primrose) exhibits heterostyly: plants produce self-incompatible pin- or thrum-form flowers, with anthers and stigma at reciprocal heights. Darwin concluded that this arrangement promotes insect-mediated cross-pollination; later studies revealed control by a cluster of genes, or supergene, known as the S (Style length) locus. The P. vulgaris S locus is absent from pin plants and hemizygous in thrum plants (thrum-specific); mutation of S locus genes produces self-fertile homostyle flowers with anthers and stigma at equal heights. Here, we present a 411 Mb P. vulgaris genome assembly of a homozygous inbred long homostyle, representing ~87\% of the genome. We annotate over 24,000 P. vulgaris genes, and reveal more genes up-regulated in thrum than pin flowers. We show reduced genomic read coverage across the S locus in other Primula species, including P. veris, where we define the conserved structure and expression of the S locus genes in thrum. Further analysis reveals the S locus has elevated repeat content (64\%) compared to the wider genome (37\%). Our studies suggest conservation of S locus genetic architecture in Primula, and provide a platform for identification and evolutionary analysis of the S locus and downstream targets that regulate heterostyly in diverse heterostylous species.}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-36304-4}, issn = {2045-2322}, issue = {1}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, publicationstatus = {Published}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group}, url = {https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3703587}, volume = {8}, keyword = {Comparative genomics, Genomics, Plant evolution, Plant reproduction, Transcriptomics}, year = {2018}, author = {Cocker, Jonathan M. and Wright, Jonathan and Li, Jinhong and Swarbreck, David and Dyer, Sarah and Caccamo, Mario and Gilmartin, Philip M.} }