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Title: MOLECULAR AND FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY IN THE MAIZE GENOME

Author
item BRIGGS, WILLIAM - UNIV OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
item Buckler, Edward - Ed
item CANARAN, PAYAN - COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB
item DOEBLEY, JOHN - UNIV OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
item FULTON, THERESA - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item GAUT, BRANDON - UNIV OF CALIFORNIA-IRVING
item GOODMAN, MAJOR - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item Holland, Jim - Jim
item KRESOVICH, STEPHEN - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item McMullen, Michael
item STEIN, LINCOLN - COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB
item Ware, Doreen
item WRIGHT, STEPHEN - UNIV OF CALIFORNIA-IRVING
item ZHAO, WEI - COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB

Submitted to: Maize Genetics Conference Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2005
Publication Date: 3/10/2005
Citation: Briggs, W., Buckler Iv, E.S., Canaran, P., Doebley, J., Fulton, T., Gaut, B., Goodman, M., Holland, J.B., Kresovich, S., Mcmullen, M.D., Stein, L., Ware, D., Wright, S., Zhao, W. 2005. Molecular and functional diversity in the maize genome [abstract]. Maize Genetics Conference. Paper No. 177. p. 126.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In 2001, maize became the number one production crop in the world. Current US maize production is almost four times wheat and rice production combined. Maize is also the single most diverse crop species, containing tremendous variation in morphological and physiological traits and extensive DNA sequence polymorphism. We have previously determined the genetic relationships among maize and teosinte germplasm, examined how average loci evolve, and developed methods for relating nucleotide diversity to phenotypic effects. Our new objective is to understand how selection has shaped molecular diversity in maize and then relate molecular diversity to functional phenotypic variation. How has selection shaped molecular diversity? To address this, 4000 loci will be screened for selection evidence, and then 1000 loci will be studied extensively by doing SNP surveys across diverse maize and teosinte. A range of tests of selection will be used to identify genes showing positive, diversifying and purifying selection. The identified genes will be those involved in domestication, agronomic improvement, and local adaptation. How does this molecular diversity relate to functional trait variation? A wide range of maize and maize-teosinte linkage and association mapping populations will be created that capture a tremendous range of diversity. These populations will be genotyped for SNPs and candidate genes and phenotyped for domestication, agronomic and developmental traits. This will permit high-power and high-resolution dissection of a wide range of traits, and relate the molecular diversity to functional variation. Further information and data produced by the project can be obtained at the project website, www.panzea.org.