Genetic characterization of tef in the context of overall studies of grass genome content, organization, evolution and function
2001
Bennetzen, J.L. | Mulu Ayele (Perdue Univ., West Lafayette (USA). Department of biological sciences)
The grasses are composed of several thousand species that include the world's most important crops, wheat, rice and maize. The grasses are of relatively recent origin, all descended from a common ancestor that arose about 8-100 million years ago. Beyond their agronomic imposrtance, the grasses also provide numerous well-characterized species that are available for comparative genetic analysis. These comparative analyses are particularly useful to assist genetic studies of grass species that have received relatively little attention. Tef (eragrosits tef) is an important grain in much of Ethiopia, and has excellent biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, but has undergone very little genetic characterization. We have begun to use our genomic mapping and sequencing studies in maize, sorghum, rice barley, wheat, and pearl millet to identify the nature of grass genome organization, including both the general patterns and the frequency/nature of exceptional structures. This comparative approach 'has allowed us to determine the characteristics of conserved and unconserved parts of the genome, and also the the nature and rate of the genetic changes that occur. We are now beginning to undertake similar studies with tef, including the isolation and sequencing of a small number of expressed sequences tags (ESTs, otherwise known as cDNA copies of mRNAs). In addition, we have used the known properties of dwarfing genes from wheat maize, Arabidopsis and rice to identify candidate genes in tef that may be used to develop dominant semi-dwarf tef varieties that may have gratly imporved lodging resistance.
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