Suaeda aralocaspica, an annual halophyte, distributes in central Asia. In China, S. aralocaspica is found mainly in the cold desert of the southern Junggar Basin, Xinjiang. This species performs complete C₄ photosynthesis within individual cells (SCC₄).

SCC₄ plants have potential value in engineering higher photosynthetic efficiencies in agriculturally important C₃ species. However, there is no reported sequenced SCC₄ plant genome, which limits our understanding of the mechanisms involved in SCC₄ photosynthesis and the possible utilization. 

A research team led by TIAN Changyan from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences completed the genome sequencing, assembly, quality evaluation and function annotations of S. aralocaspica.

Using Illumina and Pacific Biosciences sequencing platforms, the team generated 202 Gb of clean genomic DNA sequences with a 433-fold coverage based on the 467 Mb estimated genome size of S. aralocaspica. The final genome assembly was 452 Mb, consisting of 4,033 scaffolds, with a scaffold N50 length of 1.83 Mb.

The team annotated 29,604 protein-coding genes using Evidence Modeler based on the gene information from ab initio predictions, homology levels with known genes, and RNA sequencing–based transcriptome evidence. They also annotated noncoding genes, including 1,651 long noncoding RNAs, 21 microRNAs, 382 transfer RNAs, 88 small nuclear RNAs, and 325 ribosomal RNAs.

A complete (circular with no gaps) chloroplast genome of S. aralocaspica 146,654 bp in length was also assembled. Knowledge of the genome of S. aralocaspica should increase our understanding of the evolution of SCC₄ photosynthesis and contribute to the engineering of C₄ photosynthesis into economically important C₃ crops. 

The study entitled "A draft genome assembly of halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica, a plant that performs C₄ photosynthesis within individual cells" was published in GigaScience.