A near-T2T, gap-free chromosome-scale genome assembly of Carya hunanensis
We generated a high-quality, near-T2T, gap-free chromosome-scale reference genome assembly for Carya hunanensis using PacBio HiFi, Oxford Nanopore ultra-long-read, and Hi-C sequencing technologies. All biological materials used for genome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, and Hi-C library construction were collected from a single healthy individual cultivated at Zhejiang A&F University. The chromosome assembly comprises 16 gap-free chromosomes spanning 719.31 Mb. Telomeric repeat sequences were detected at 27 of the 32 chromosome ends; therefore, the assembly is described as near-T2T rather than strict T2T. The complete assembly, including approximately 1.53 Mb of unanchored contigs, spans 720.84 Mb. A total of 41,417 protein-coding genes were predicted. Genome annotation and comparative genomic analyses provide important resources for investigating genome evolution, repetitive sequences, structural variation, and environmental adaptation in Carya hunanensis and related Juglandaceae species. The raw sequencing data and genome assembly generated in this project will facilitate future studies of molecular breeding, population genetics, and comparative genomics in Carya species.