Center for Forest Research, Institute for Integrative and Systems Biology, Université Laval, Québec, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.
Plant Mol Biol. 2012 Dec;80(6):555-69. doi: 10.1007/s11103-012-9961-7. Epub 2012 Sep 9.
Several new initiatives have been launched recently to sequence conifer genomes including pines, spruces and Douglas-fir. Owing to the very large genome sizes ranging from 18 to 35 gigabases, sequencing even a single conifer genome had been considered unattainable until the recent throughput increases and cost reductions afforded by next generation sequencers. The purpose of this review is to describe the context for these new initiatives. A knowledge foundation has been acquired in several conifers of commercial and ecological interest through large-scale cDNA analyses, construction of genetic maps and gene mapping studies aiming to link phenotype and genotype. Exploratory sequencing in pines and spruces have pointed out some of the unique properties of these giga-genomes and suggested strategies that may be needed to extract value from their sequencing. The hope is that recent and pending developments in sequencing technology will contribute to rapidly filling the knowledge vacuum surrounding their structure, contents and evolution. Researchers are also making plans to use comparative analyses that will help to turn the data into a valuable resource for enhancing and protecting the world's conifer forests.
最近启动了几项新的计划来对包括松树、云杉和花旗松在内的针叶树基因组进行测序。由于基因组非常大,大小范围从 18 到 35 吉字节,因此直到最近高通量测序和下一代测序仪降低成本带来的测序通量增加,测序单个针叶树基因组也被认为是无法实现的。本综述的目的是描述这些新计划的背景。通过大规模 cDNA 分析、遗传图谱的构建和基因图谱研究,旨在将表型与基因型联系起来,已经在一些具有商业和生态价值的针叶树上获得了知识基础。在松树和云杉中的探索性测序指出了这些千兆基因组的一些独特性质,并提出了可能需要从测序中提取价值的策略。人们希望测序技术的最新和即将出现的发展将有助于迅速填补围绕它们的结构、内容和进化的知识空白。研究人员还计划进行比较分析,这将有助于将数据转化为增强和保护世界针叶林的宝贵资源。