About this project
Oriental persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thumb), which is also known as "Kaki (柿)", is one of the major tree crops, especially in East Asia. The nature of high ploidy level (2n = 6X = 90) and the resultant genetic/genomic complexity in this species often disturb a variety of genome-wide analyses.

We previously drafted the whole genome sequences of a diploid wild relative, D. lotus (2n = 2X = 30), male accession (cv. Kunsenshi male), which has been already published in Akagi et al. 2020 (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008566). At 12/25/2022, we updated the database to upload the chromosome-scale genome assembly of a monoecious hexaploid D. kaki, cv. Taishu, which is a new superior cultivar breed in Japan. We provide the genomic sequences of 14 autosomes and XY sex chromosomes, with their gene annotations.

The genus Diospyros includes a wide variety of perennial species, which are utilized for production of fruit or timbers. Accumulation patterns of some chemical compounds in fruit, represented by proanthocyanidin, also known as "condensed tannin", are characteristic to persimmon (Akagi et al. 2011). Transition of sex determination systems in this genus is also attracting attention recently. The "first" sex-chromosome-encoded determining gene in plants was identified in persimmon (Akagi et al. 2014).

Reference
Horiuchi A, Masuda K, Shirasawa K, Onoue N, Fujita N, Ushijima K, Akagi T (2023)
Ongoing Rapid Evolution of a Post-Y Region Revealed by Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of a Hexaploid Monoecious Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
Molecular Biology and Evolution 40: msad151.

Akagi T, Shirasawa K, Nagasaki H, Hirakawa H, Tao R, Comai L, Henry IM (2020)
The persimmon genome reveals clues to the evolution of a lineage-specific sex determination system in plants.
PLOS Genetics.

Akagi T, Henry IM, Tao R, Comai L (2014).
A Y-chromosome–encoded small RNA acts as a sex determinant in persimmons.
Science 346: 646-650.

Akagi T, Katayama-Ikegami A, Yonemori K (2011).
Proanthocyanidin biosynthesis of persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit.
Scientia Horticulturae 130: 373-380.

Acknowledgments
The genome sequencing project for diploid male D. lotus (cv. Kunsenshi male) was supported by PRESTO (no. JPMJPR15Q1) from Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A) (no. 26712005) and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (no. J16H06471) from JSPS, and by the National Science Foundation (NSF) IOS award under Grant No. 1457230.

The genome sequencing project for hexaploid monoecious D. kaki (cv. Taishu) was supported by PRESTO from Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) [JPMJPR20Q1] and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) [22H02339] and for Transformative Research Areas (A) [22H05172, 22H05173 and 22H05181] from JSPS.