Leveraging the genome sequences of two Arabidopsis relatives for evolutionary and ecological genomics (ERA-PG 058)

• Applicants: Dr. Barbara Neuffer; Professor Dr. Detlef Weigel, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Plant Genetics and Genomics
• Term: from 2007 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 35962009

The overall strategic objective of ERA-PG is to build links between leading research teams and to boost the overall competitiveness of plant genomics in Europe. This proposal brings together some of the very best European scientists in the areas of evolutionary and ecological genomics, including junior and senior groups. Understanding the forces driving plant evolution is an essential prerequisite if we want to comprehend the mechanisms underlying plant adaptation. This, in turn, will enable the more efficient breeding of crops that are better adapted to the environment. Thus, the present proposal will make fundamental contributions to achieving the various specific objectives of the ERA-PG. The ARelatives Consortium will exploit the impending completion of two new plant genome sequences, those of Arabidopsis lyrata and Capsella rubella, currently under way at the Joint Genome Institute of the US Department of Energy (http://www.jgi.doe.gov/CSP/). Although this multi-million dollar project is funded entirely by the US government, members of this ERA-PG team have played key roles in developing this project, with the main ERA-PG applicant having previously taken the lead in preparing the DOE-JGI proposal. We now propose to use ERA-PG resources to leverage the information generated by DOE-JGI, both through bioinformatic analyses that address questions of selection and adaptation on a genome-wide scale, and through functional genomic, genetic and ecological avenues that will provide experimental evidence for specific adaptation events. Together, these approaches will set the stage for applying similar strategies in crop species. We are currently experiencing a drastic decline in whole-genome sequencing costs, which will provide unprecedented opportunities in all crop plants. This proposal will help us to exploit these new opportunities. Our specific aims are: " Detect genomic regions responsible for species-specific adaptation " Identify genetic variation affecting a model adaptive trait in Arabidopsis and Capsella " Compare evolution of self-incompatibility in Arabidopsis and Capsella.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants