Complete nucleotide sequence of the Oenothera elata plastid chromosome, representing plastome I of the five distinguishable Euoenothera plastomes

We describe the 159,4443-bp sequence of the plastid chromosome of Oenothera elata (evening primrose). The Oe. elata plastid chromosome represents type I of the five genetically distinguishable basic plastomes found in the sub section Euoenothera. The genus Oeno-thera provides an ideal system in which to address fundamental questions regarding the functional integration of t he compartmentalised genetic system characteristic of the eukaryotic cell. Its highly developed taxonomy and genetics, together with a favourable comb ination of features in its genetic structure (interspecific fertility, stab le heterozygous progeny, biparental transmission of organelles, and the phe nomenon of complex heterozygosity), allow facile exchanges of nuclei, plast ids and mitochondria, as well as individual chromosome pairs, between speci es. The resulting hybrids or cybrids are usually viable and fertile, but ca n display various forms of developmental disturbance.