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Title: FRAGARIA VESCA, A REFERENCE PLANT FOR THE ROSACEAE FAMILY

Author
item Slovin, Janet
item DAVIS, THOMAS - U. NEW HAMPSHIRE
item RABINOWICZ, PABLO - TIGR
item SHULAEV, VLADIMIR - VA. BIOTECH INST. VA TECH

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/2006
Publication Date: 4/4/2006
Citation: Slovin, J.P., Davis, T., Rabinowicz, P., Shulaev, V. 2006. Fragaria vesca, a reference plant for the rosaceae family. Meeting Abstract. p. 44

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The fresh and processed products of the Rosaceae plant family (almonds, apples, apricots, blackberries, peaches, pears, plums, sweet and tart cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and roses) in the U.S. are valued at over $7 billion. Rosaceous crops are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients important to human health. Expansion of the genomics, genetics, and germplasm knowledge base of rosaceous flower, fruit, and nut development, ripening, senescence, and microbial contamination is essential for maximizing and maintaining quality, and guaranteeing the consumer a safe product. Rosaceae family genomics researchers in the U.S. have come together to share resources and work collaboratively on several key issues: defining and exploiting the Rosaceae genome; enhancing Rosaceae genomics database resources; and revitalizing U.S. Rosaceae breeding programs. The Genome Database for Rosaceae (http://www.mainlab.clemson.edu/gdr/) is available, and incorporates much of the publicly available structural and functional genomics for the family. A selection of species that represents the evolutionary diversity of the Rosaceae could include apple (Maloideae, sensu lato), peach (Prunus), and strawberry (Rosoideae, sensu stricto), and a member of the actinorhizal clade that forms symbiotic relationships with nitrogen fixing bacteria. Of these plants, only strawberry has the efficient transformation systems that are necessary for testing gene function. The octoploid (2n=8x=56) genome of the cultivated strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa, ranks among the most complex of any crop species. However, the less-than 200 Mb size of the basic (x=7) strawberry genome ranks among the smallest of any crop species. Therefore, the diploid woodland strawberry, F. vesca, has been developed as a model system for strawberry genetics and genomics, and as a reference plant for the Rosaceae family. Advantages of F. vesca include its self-fertility, fecundity, small plant size, short generation time (~3.5 months), amenability to genetic transformation, diverse germplasm base, and very small genome. Variants of F. vesca have been selected for their novel, mutant traits such as day-neutrality, yellow/white fruit color, and runnerlessness. A well-characterized F. vesca system has enabled us to begin developing useful assays to evaluate genes for their function in plant stress responses, fruit quality, and disease resistance. A documented inbred line, F. vesca variety "Yellow Wonder" 5AF7, is available, a fosmid library is currently under analysis, approximately 15,000 ESTs are available in GenBank and an additional 30,000 ESTs representing messages in abiotically stressed seedlings will be available over the next year, and a highly efficient transformation system has been developed to facilitate insertion mutagenesis. Arabidopsis sequences have proven highly useful for identifying useful Fragaria genes and for developing gene specific molecular markers.