Scott Jackson on the First Genome Sequence for a Legume
Fast Breaking Commentary, August 2010
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Article Title: Genome sequence of the palaeopolyploid soybean
Authors: Schmutz, J, et. al |
Scott Jackson talks with ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions about this month's Fast Breaking Paper paper in the field of Molecular Biology & Genetics.
Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
This represents the first genome sequence for a legume and therefore is important for comparative purposes within plants. Also, soybean is closely related to many other legume crops (e.g. pigeonpea, common bean, cowpea) and is therefore important to understand the biology of those species and for improvement.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
"I think the implication for related legume crops that are important in developing countries is one of the more exciting aspects of the research..."
A couple of interesting items: 1) this is a highly duplicated plant genome, due to whole-genome duplications, and there is a lot of interest in the evolutionary aspects of duplicating entire genomes (gene fate, diploidization); and 2) this was the first complex plant genome sequenced completely by a whole-genome shotgun approach and was very successful.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper
in layman's terms?
This provides an inventory of the parts necessary to make a soybean plant and provides a basis for engineering better plants, for yield and for quality.
How did you become involved in this research, and
how would you describe the particular challenges, setbacks, and
successes that you've encountered along the way?
When I started my first faculty position, I saw a genome sequence for soybean as a major challenge and objective. Along the way there have been some setbacks. We initially made a BAC-based physical map, similar to the way other large genomes (human) were done, but because of the duplications contained within the soybean genome, this was very difficult and the map had many problems, but fortunately, the genome sequence was not entirely reliant on the physical map.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
We are looking at the evolutionary fate of duplicated chromosomes and genes within the legumes, using the soybean genome as a reference. In addition, we are examining the epigenetic control of duplicated genes, looking at epigenetic marks contrasting between duplicated chromosomal segments.
Another area of interest is using genomic information to improve plants for human use, i.e., crop plants. We are working with scientists around the world to help leverage information about the genetic makeup to better the plant improvement process in order to feed the expanding world population.
Do you foresee any social or political
implications for your research?
I think the implication for related legume crops that are important in
developing countries is one of the more exciting aspects of the research.
Although we've produced a resource that will facilitate research and
improvement of soybean, it is really transformative for many legume crops
that are important parts of diets for millions of people in developing
countries around the world.
Scott Jackson
Professor and Wickersham Chair
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN, USA
KEYWORDS: GENOME SEQUENCE, PALAEOPOLYPLOID SOYBEAN, PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS, GLYCINE MAX, GENES, EVOLUTION, IDENTIFICATION, PROTEIN, PLANTS, DNA, DIVERSIFICATION, RESISTANCE.