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POTATO GENOME SEQUENCE PUBLISHED IN JOURNAL NATURE

Published online: Jul 11, 2011 Seed Potatoes
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The Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium (PGSC), an international team of scientists, focused on sequencing the genome of potato, has published its findings in the international journal Nature.

The Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium, initiated in January 2006 by the Plant Breeding Department of Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre) in the Netherlands, soon developed into a global consortium of 29 research groups from 14 countries.

In late 2009, the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium released a high-quality draft sequence of the DM genome online. Since that time the PGSC has been refining the genome assembly, as well as performing exhaustive analysis and interpretation of the data. The genome assembly covers approximately 95 percent of the genes in potato, and was facilitated by new software developed by the BGI, one of the Chinese partners in the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium.

Analysis of the genome sequence data has revealed that the potato genome contains approximately 39,000 protein coding genes. For over 90 percent of the genes the location on one of the 12 chromosomes is now known. The analysis also reveals that the potato genome has undergone extensive genome duplication though evolution.

The potato genome assembly and other resources are now available in the public domain at www.potatogenome.net, where a complete listing and contact details for all Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium members can be found.

-Source, Nature (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature10158.html)