%A Chenlu Xu, Xiaomei Sun, Shougong Zhang %T Characteristics of Conifer Genome and Recent Advances in Conifer Sequence Resources Mining %0 Journal Article %D 2013 %J Chinese Bulletin of Botany %R 10.3724/SP.J.1259.2013.00684 %P 684-693 %V 48 %N 6 %U {https://www.chinbullbotany.com/CN/abstract/article_717.shtml} %8 2013-11-01 %X Conifers are the largest and most ubiquitous group of gymnosperms. They are woody perennials that shape many northern hemisphere ecosystems and support large industries through the provision of wood, fiber, and energy. Sequencing conifer genomes is relevant because of their taxonomic position, ecological significance, and economic importance. However, the large and complex genomes of conifers have hindered the mining process, and by April 2013, no whole-genome sequences for conifer have been obtained. With the emergence of next-generation sequencing and rapid development of bioinformatics, the conifer sequence resources mining project has transitioned from the transcriptome to whole-genome sequencing projects, initiated in Pinus, Picea and Pseudotsuga genus. This review summarizes the characteristics of the conifer genome, reviews the current status of genome sequencing of conifers and outlines the current state of knowledge concerning the genomes of conifer (Pinus taeda, Picea abies and Picea glauca).