Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Abies chensiensis (Pinaceae), an endemic to China

Abies chensiensis, an endemic evergreen trees distributed in Qinling Mountains, is listed in China Species Red List as an endangered species. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome (cpDNA) sequence of Abies chensiensis was determined from Illumina pair-end sequencing data. The cpDNA is 121,329 bp in length, contains a large single copy region (LSC) of 72,843 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 46,126 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 1180 bp. The genome contains 120 genes, including 81 protein-coding genes, 4 ribosomal RNA genes, and 35 transfer RNA genes. The overall GC content of the whole genome is 38.3%, and the corresponding values of the LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 38.8, 37.1, and 37.5%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on 20 chloroplast genomes indicates that A. chensiensis is closely related to A. sibirica.