Reference "Analysis of the bread wheat genome using whole-genome shotgun sequencing"

Reference ID

54956

Title

Analysis of the bread wheat genome using whole-genome shotgun sequencing

Source

Nature, 2012, vol. 491, pp. 705-710

Authors (29)

Brenchley-R	Spannagl-M	Pfeifer-M	Barker-G-L	D'Amore-R	Allen-A-M
McKenzie-N	Kramer-M	Kerhornou-A	Bolser-D	Kay-S	Waite-D
Trick-M	Bancroft-I	Gu-Y	Huo-N	Luo-M-C	Sehgal-S
Gill-B	Kianian-S	Anderson-O	Kersey-P	Dvorak-J	McCombie-W-R
Hall-A	Mayer-K-F	Edwards-K-J	Bevan-M-W	Hall-N

Abstract

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a globally important crop, accounting for 20
per cent of the calories consumed by humans. Major efforts are underway
worldwide to increase wheat production by extending genetic diversity and
analysing key traits, and genomic resources can accelerate progress. But so far
the very large size and polyploid complexity of the bread wheat genome have been
substantial barriers to genome analysis. Here we report the sequencing of its
large, 17-gigabase-pair, hexaploid genome using 454 pyrosequencing, and
comparison of this with the sequences of diploid ancestral and progenitor
genomes. We identified between 94,000 and 96,000 genes, and assigned two-thirds
to the three component genomes (A, B and D) of hexaploid wheat. High-resolution
synteny maps identified many small disruptions to conserved gene order. We show
that the hexaploid genome is highly dynamic, with significant loss of gene
family members on polyploidization and domestication, and an abundance of gene
fragments. Several classes of genes involved in energy harvesting, metabolism
and growth are among expanded gene families that could be associated with crop
productivity. Our analyses, coupled with the identification of extensive genetic
variation, provide a resource for accelerating gene discovery and improving this
major crop.