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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #258215

Title: Gene Mutagensis Systems and Resources for the Saccharinae

Author
item Xin, Zhanguo
item Wang, Ming
item CHOPRA, SURINDER - Pennsylvania State University
item WANG, POHAO - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2011
Publication Date: 1/1/2013
Citation: Xin, Z., Wang, M.L., Chopra, S., Wang, P. 2013. Gene Mutagensis Systems and Resources for the Saccharinae. In: Patterson, A.H., editor. Plant Genetics and Genomics: Crops and Models. New York, NY:Springer Publishing Company. 11:p. 169-185.

Interpretive Summary: Saccharinae, including sorghum, miscanthus, and sugar, have emerged as important bioengy crops because of their efficient C4 photosynthesis pathway. The book chapter summarized the tools available for genomic study in this important tribe, focusing on the mutant populations in Saccharinae. Emphasis is on sorghum mutant resources as few mutant resources are available in sugarcane or Miscanthus due to polyploidy of their genomes. As a minimally-redundant genome that last experienced genome duplication ~70 million years ago, sorghum is particularly sensitive to EMS and other mutagens, with many mutagenized lines displaying various phenotypes at EMS concentrations as low as 0.1%. Many mutant phenotypes have the potential to increase biomass production or bioenergy conversion efficiency of sorghum plants. Characterizing these sorghum mutants may also provide useful information to improve biomass production and bioenergy conversion efficiency or other traits of other plants, for example via RNAi technology. The small size of the sorghum genome, its diploid nature, and high gene density also makes sorghum an obvious choice for an efficient transposon tagging system. The Candystripe1 (Cs1) transposon has been isolated. The activity of Cs1 has been demonstrated in the y1 locus, and several mutations have been isolated. An understanding of the genetic behavior of this element has been gathered toward the development of a viable transposon tagging system in sorghum.

Technical Abstract: This chapter focuses on mutant populations in Saccharinae that are available for genomic studies. Emphasis is on sorghum mutant resources as few mutant resources are available in sugarcane or Miscanthus due to polyploidy of their genomes. As a minimally-redundant genome that last experienced genome duplication ~70 million years ago, sorghum is particularly sensitive to EMS and other mutagens, with many mutagenized lines displaying various phenotypes at EMS concentrations as low as 0.1%. Many mutant phenotypes have the potential to increase biomass production or bioenergy conversion efficiency of sorghum plants. Characterizing these sorghum mutants may also provide useful information to improve biomass production and bioenergy conversion efficiency or other traits of other plants, for example via RNAi technology. The small size of the sorghum genome, its diploid nature, and high gene density also makes sorghum an obvious choice for an efficient transposon tagging system. The Candystripe1 (Cs1) transposon has been isolated. The activity of Cs1 has been demonstrated in the y1 locus, and several mutations have been isolated. An understanding of the genetic behavior of this element has been gathered toward the development of a viable transposon tagging system in sorghum.