Jin Li, a PhD student in the biology department who graduated this past March 2023, had his article “Comparative Analysis of Tylosema esculentum Mitochondrial DNA Revealed Two Distinct Genome Structures” published in Biology on September 16, 2023.

Tylosema esculentum is a potential crop in southern Africa, known for its high nutritional value and ability to thrive in long-term drought conditions. To gain a better understanding of its genetic characteristics, the mitogenomes of 84 individuals from different locations in Namibia and South Africa were assembled and compared using both PacBio and Illumina sequencing data. The study revealed two distinct germplasms with significant differences in the mitogenome structure and sequence.

To read and learn more, you can find Dr. Li’s article here: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/9/1244