DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Comparative genomic analysis of the Compositae, focusing on Carthamus tinctorius L. (safflower)

作物驯化的研究有可能提供对重要农艺性状的遗传基础的深入了解。比较分析进一步为研究人员提供了机会，以调查是否相似的性状出现在不同的作物物种作为选择的结果相同或不同的基因。菊科是开花植物中最大的科，包含许多重要的作物物种。迄今为止，该家族中的许多作物相关研究都集中在向日葵（Helianthus annuus L.）和莴苣（Lactuca sativa L.）。本文概述的研究旨在利用尖端的DNA测序技术来开发红花（Carthamus tinctorius L.）的第一个高密度遗传图谱，这是这个家族中的第三种作物。该图谱将有助于随后的红花、向日葵和莴苣之间的比较基因组分析，从而能够调查三种作物物种之间平行遗传变化的潜力。除了为作物相关性状的遗传基础提供基本见解外，这项工作还将为发达国家和发展中国家的红花育种界提供有价值的分子工具。这项工作除了有助于培训一名女研究生外，还将为格鲁吉亚大学本科生提供实际研究经验。

Studies of crop domestication have the potential to provide insight into the genetic basis of agronomically-important traits. Comparative analyses further afford researchers the opportunity to investigate whether or not similar traits have arisen in different crop species as a result of selection upon the same or different genes. The Compositae, which is the largest family of flowering plants, contains numerous important crop species. To date, much of the crop-related research in this family has focused on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). The research outlined herein seeks to utilize cutting-edge DNA sequencing technologies to develop the first high-density genetic map of safflower, (Carthamus tinctorius L.), which is a third crop species within this family. This map will facilitate subsequent comparative genomic analyses between safflower, sunflower, and lettuce, thereby enabling an investigation of the potential for parallel genetic changes across three crop species. Beyond providing fundamental insights into the genetic basis of crop-related traits, this work will provide valuable molecular tools for the safflower breeding community, both in developed and developing worlds. In addition to contributing to the training of a female graduate student, this work will also provide University of Georgia undergraduates with hands-on research experience.