GNADE

Projektbeschreibung

Natural diversity is the central resource for plant breeding. It is also a powerful tool for basic science, because it allows the detection of the underlying genetic control and interactions within complex networks involved in trait variation. The advances that are enabling its utilization are (i) increasing information on genome sequence variation, (ii) qualitative jumps in technologies for genotyping segregating populations and creating true-breeding inbred lines, (iii) existing and emerging platforms for high-throughput phenotyping of molecular, biochemical, physiological, morphological and agronomic traits, and (iv) a massive increase in the power of bioinformatics and statistics. These methodological developments will soon enable major changes in plant breeding. This project exploits the faster accumulation of information, faster generation time and simpler logistics of the reference system Arabidopsis to test, in advance, emerging technologies and strategies.

The specific aims are:

• to re-sequence and assemble the genomes of two highly diverse Arabidopsis strains, using cutting edge sequencing and bioinformatics. This will be a major advance in understanding natural variation on a genome- and species-wide level.
• to develop strategies for combining data sets from association mapping and inbred mapping populations with deep sequence information and profiling technologies to expedite fine mapping and gene cloning,
• to clone, as proof-of-concept, several major QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) of growth-related traits.

This project will lead to major advances in resources and basic knowledge in the reference system Arabidopsis, and will enable a more rapid and efficient utilization of deep sequence information as it becomes available for crops.

Partner

Prof. Dr. Maarten Koornneef
MPI für Züchtungsforschung
Köln

Prof. Dr. Detlef Weigel
MPI für Entwicklungsbiologie
Tübingen

Prof. Dr. Daniel Huson
Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen
Tübingen

Dr. Eva Bauer
Technische Universität München
Freising-Weihenstephan