Recent progress in plant genomics has revealed that the total functional gene sequence present among all individuals of a species, also known as the pan-genome, is far larger than the content annotated in a single individual's genome. This diversity in gene content arises because large DNA duplication, insertion, or deletion events lead to variation in the presence or absence of whole genes among individuals within species, and this variation may have contributed in the past to crop domestication or adaptation of wild populations to local habitats. The investigators will develop advanced genomic resources to reveal gene content variation among wild and domesticated accessions of the common sunflower, Helianthus annuus. Doing so will facilitate greater understanding of what role gene content variation played during the process of sunflower domestication and inform how this variation may be exploited by breeders to improve crop yields under future climates.
UC PI:
Benjamin Blackman
Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, UC Berkeley
French PI:
Hélène Bergès
CNRGV - Plant Genomic Center, INRA Toulouse
