Discovery and characterization of adaptive genes and regulatory networks in plants

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Plant improvement by making specific crosses and selecting the progeny with favorable traits for further propagation has been a critical human innovation. It has enabled many more people to live on earth with higher living standards than would otherwise be possible, and it has greatly enhanced the productivity of arable land. The underlying basis for plant improvement is coded within plant DNA. Traits between plant varieties differ because of differences in their DNA sequences. In many cases, trait differences are caused by a change in a gene's function. In other cases, differences are caused by changes in the location and the level of a gene’s action. The core objective of this proposal is to use recent advances in computational biology and genomic technologies to identify the gene regulatory differences between elite crop cultivars and the molecular causes of the regulatory differences. We will use maize, Zea mays, as a model system for these genome-scale analyses. Understanding the genetic bases of crop productivity is important for economic, social, and scientific reasons. Economically, crop yields determine the value of a producer's crops, and using genetics to improve crops will increase harvest values for Canadian farmers. Socially, food supply must increase to meet the demands of a human population that is growing in size and affluence, and plant breeding is the primary means to do this. Scientifically, an understanding of how plant breeders change plants' gene regulation will help elucidate broad themes on how both natural and breeding populations change over time.