Tuskan G A, DiFazio S P, Teichmann T
Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6422, USA.
Plant Biol (Stuttg). 2004 Jan-Feb;6(1):2-4. doi: 10.1055/s-2003-44715.
Trees, due to their long life-span, have characteristics that distinguish them from annual, herbaceous plants. It is likely that many of these properties are based on a tree-specific genetic foundation. The U.S. Department of Energy initiated a genome-sequencing project for Populus, a model perennial plant. Through international collaboration and input to the sequencing effort, the annotated whole genome sequence of Populus trichocarpa will be released to the public in early 2004. This genomic resource will, for the first time, allow comparison between a perennial and an annual plant on a whole genome basis and therefore provide clues for molecular research on tree-specific questions like dormancy, development of a secondary cambium, juvenile-mature phase change, or long-term host-pest interactions. The approximately 520 Mbp of annotated genomic sequence will complement and expand the knowledge provided so far by the 125,000 ESTs from poplar that are available in public databases. This article introduces the international poplar research programmes and points out the significance of the poplar genome project for plant research.
树木因其寿命长，具有一些区别于一年生草本植物的特征。这些特性很可能基于特定于树木的遗传基础。美国能源部启动了一项针对模式多年生植物杨树的基因组测序项目。通过国际合作以及对测序工作的投入，毛果杨的注释全基因组序列将于2004年初向公众发布。这一基因组资源将首次使得在全基因组基础上对多年生植物和一年生植物进行比较成为可能，从而为诸如休眠、次生形成层的发育、幼年期到成年期的转变或长期的寄主与害虫相互作用等特定于树木的问题的分子研究提供线索。约5.2亿碱基对的注释基因组序列将补充并拓展目前公共数据库中已有的来自杨树的12.5万个EST所提供的知识。本文介绍了国际杨树研究项目，并指出杨树基因组计划对植物研究的意义。
