Award Abstract #0638418
Genome Evolution in Diploid and Polyploid Cotton

NSF Org:	IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	September 25, 2006
Latest Amendment Date:	August 15, 2009
Award Number:	0638418
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	Diane Jofuku Okamuro IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	October 1, 2006
Expires:	September 30, 2010 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$1677721
Investigator(s):	Jonathan Wendel jfw@iastate.edu (Principal Investigator) Rod Wing (Co-Principal Investigator) Andrew Paterson (Co-Principal Investigator) Adah Leshem-Ackerman (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Iowa State University 1138 Pearson AMES, IA 50011 515/294-5225
NSF Program(s):	PLANT GENOME RESEARCH PROJECT
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT, 9109, 7577, 1329
Program Element Code(s):	1329

ABSTRACT

PI: Jonathan F. Wendel (Iowa State University)

Co-PIs: Adah Leshem-Ackerman (Iowa State University), Andrew H. Paterson (University of Georgia), Rod A. Wing (Arizona State University)

The amount of DNA in plant genomes is highly variable among species, ranging by over three orders of magnitude. Relatively little is understood about the mechanisms by which this enormous variation in genome size arises, yet this feature of plant genomes undoubtedly has fundamental importance to many areas of biology and to crop productivity. To redress this gap in our knowledge, this project will address the tempo (e.g., regular vs. episodic bursts), directionality (with respect to genomic contraction or expansion), and absolute scale of genome size change, over time, in a model system involving diploid and tetraploid cotton species. The cotton genus is particularly well-suited to addressing this work, but the insights gleaned will extend to all plants. In addition, the work has relevance to the productivity and quality of one of the nation's leading crops. The study involves sequencing the same genomic regions from species that have genomes that vary twofold in size, as well as from a tetraploid species (with double the number of chromosomes) that originated from an ancient natural merger of these two smaller genomes. By sequencing large amounts of DNA, and by employing complementary molecular analyses of chromosomes, the research will reveal the relative roles of the various molecular and genetic mechanisms that are thought to underlie genome size change. The research also will lead to an improved understanding of the organization and architecture of plant genomes that have a great deal of repetitive DNA, and will provide unparalleled insight into the evolutionary processes responsible for genome evolution. During the course of this project, a spectrum of activities will be implemented that will enhance and broaden scientific training of students at all levels, including K-12 educators.

Access to project outcomes

Sequence data will be deposited immediately in GenBank (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). The tools and resources developed through this project will be made available through the project web site, The Cotton Portal (http://gossypium.info).

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

J. S. Hawkins, G. Hu, R. A. Rapp, J. Grafenberg, and J. F. Wendel. "Phylogenetic determination of the pace of transposable element proliferation in plants: copia and LINE-like elements in Gossypium," Genome, v.51, 2008, p. 11.

Paterson, A. H.. "Paleopolyploidy and its Impact on the Structure and Function of Modern Plant Genomes," Genome Dynamics, v.4, 2008, p. 1.

Z. Jeffrey Chen, Brian E. Scheffler, Elizabeth Dennis, Barbara Triplett, Tianzhen Zhang, Xiaoya Chen, David M. Stelly, Pablo D. Rabinowicz, Christopher Town, Tony Arioli, Curt Brubaker, Roy Cantrell, Jean-Marc Lacape, Mauricio Ulloa, Peng Chee, Alan R. Gi. "Toward sequencing cotton (Gossypium) genomes," Plant Physiology, v.145, 2007, p. 1303.

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