Complete Ramie Genome Maps Chlorogenic Acid Production

A research team has produced the first gap-free, telomere-to-telomere (T2T) reference genome for ramie, a fiber, forage, and medicinal crop rich in chlorogenic acid (CGA). By pairing the complete genome with comparative genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and enzyme testing, the researchers traced how the CGA biosynthetic pathway emerged across plant evolution and identified the route most likely responsible for CGA production in ramie. The work also revealed strong tissue specialization: r