Malaysian, US researchers complete first draft of oil palm genome

2008-05-22 14:27:59 [ Big Normal Small ]    　Comment

    KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian and United States researchers have jointly completed the first draft assembly and annotation of the oil palm genome, the research team announced here on Wednesday.

    The team, composed of researchers from Malaysia's Asiatic Center for Genome Techonology (ACGT) and US Synthetic Genomics Inc.(SGI), also announced that they have made progress in sequencing and analyzing the jatropha genome.

    The projects were aimed at developing more high-yielding and disease-resistant plant feed stocks.

    The oil palm genome is approximately 1.8 billion base pairs in size, about 4 times the size of the rice genome and two thirds the size of the maize genome.

    The researchers sequenced a combination of two oil palm races, tenera and dura, to produce seven-fold coverage of the plant's genome, which represent the most comprehensive sequence and analysis of this genome.

    SGI and ACGT will continue to do additional sequencing and analysis of the oil palm genome and when completed, this will become the reference genome.

    The researchers are also conducting an in-depth genomic, physiological and biochemical analysis of jatropha, a robust oil seed crop whose oil is suitable for conversion into cleaner, renewable fuels.

    The jatropha genome is 500 million base pairs in size, similar to the size of the rice genome.

    The organizations will continue to sequence and analyze the jatropha genome to achieve ten-fold coverage.

    The genome sequences of these highly productive oilseed crops will enable the in-depth understanding of genes encoding for plant yield and health and foster the development of improved plant varieties, the researcher said.

    The research team is also using environmental genomic techniques to sequence and analyze the root, soil and leaf microbial communities surrounding the oil palm and jatropha plants.

    Understanding the oil palm and jatropha genomes and their environments will enable the groups to develop diagnostic tests for plant diseases as well as agents for their control, leading to healthier and more productive crops.

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