Project Number: 3625-21220-004-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 09, 2008
End Date: Apr 08, 2013

Objective:
Objective 1: Identify and evaluate genes important for agronomic performance (e.g., symbiosis/nitrogen fixation, nutrient uptake and utilization, yield, composition, etc.). Objective 2: Identify and evaluate genes useful for legume defense against pathogens, e.g., Asian Soybean Rust. Objective 3: Conduct comparative analyses of legume genes and genomes to place agronomically important genes in evolutionary and genome sequence context.

Approach:
The project will define and characterize the organization and structure of the soybean genome and the genomes of other legumes with special emphasis on genes and gene families that underlie important agronomic and developmental traits. Hydroponics and global gene expression tools will be used to identify genes differentially expressed during iron stress conditions. Affymetrix GeneChips will be used to identify genes involved in yield, seed composition and other important traits in soybean. Bioinformatics will be used to position these genes on the whole genome sequence and the genetic map. Bioinformatic and experimental approaches will be used to identify and map genes differentially expressed during defense response and to identify and map defensin-like genes. A set of comparative molecular-evolutionary protocols will be used to make systematic and integrated use of large amounts of new genomic and functional data. Analyses will include comparison of homeologous regions, phylogenetic comparisons, and annotation of specific genomic regions.