Organelle Genomics: The Chloroplast Genome of Amaranth

Amaranth is an emerging pseudocereal native to the New World that has gained increased attention in recent years because of its nutritional quality, particularly its seed protein, with high levels of essential amino acid lysine. This chapter will concentrate on the research advancements made on organelle genomes, particularly the chloroplast genome. The chloroplast genome is an integral part of the plant genome. They are circular and conserved in size, genome structure, and gene content. Albeit chloroplast genomes have less than one percent of the genes in the nucleus, they encode essential genes responsible for energy production, respiration, photosynthesis, and genes that control agronomically crucial traits. Here, we discuss the characteristic features of the amaranth chloroplast genome, such as length, structure, repeats, gene and protein contents, and, finally, its function and importance in phylogenetic and genetic diversity studies in the Amaranthaceae family.