Department of Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2012 Apr;15(2):115-21. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2012.03.006. Epub 2012 Mar 30.
Darwin recognised the processes of speciation and the frequent extinction of species. We now understand many of the genome-scale processes occurring during evolution involving mutations, amplification, loss or homogenisation of DNA sequences; rearrangement, fusion and fission of chromosomes; and horizontal transfer of genes or genomes, including processes involving hybridisation and polyploidy. DNA sequence information, combined with appropriate informatic tools and experimental approaches such as generation of synthetic hybrids, comparison of genotypes across environments, and modelling of genomic responses, is now letting us link genome behaviour with its consequences. The understanding of genome evolution will be of critical value both for conservation of the biodiversity of the plant kingdom and addressing the challenges of breeding new and more sustainable crops to feed the human population.
达尔文认识到物种形成和物种频繁灭绝的过程。我们现在了解了许多在进化过程中发生的基因组规模的过程，包括基因突变、DNA 序列扩增、缺失或同质化；染色体重排、融合和裂变；以及基因或基因组的水平转移，包括杂交和多倍体化等过程。DNA 序列信息，结合适当的信息学工具和实验方法，如合成杂种的生成、不同环境下基因型的比较，以及基因组响应的建模，现在使我们能够将基因组行为与其后果联系起来。对基因组进化的理解对于保护植物王国的生物多样性以及应对培育新的和更可持续的作物以养活人口的挑战都将具有至关重要的价值。
