Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2012 Dec;80(6):555-69.
doi: 10.1007/s11103-012-9961-7. Epub 2012 Sep 9.

Towards decoding the conifer giga-genome

Affiliations
Review

Towards decoding the conifer giga-genome

John Mackay et al. Plant Mol Biol. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

Several new initiatives have been launched recently to sequence conifer genomes including pines, spruces and Douglas-fir. Owing to the very large genome sizes ranging from 18 to 35 gigabases, sequencing even a single conifer genome had been considered unattainable until the recent throughput increases and cost reductions afforded by next generation sequencers. The purpose of this review is to describe the context for these new initiatives. A knowledge foundation has been acquired in several conifers of commercial and ecological interest through large-scale cDNA analyses, construction of genetic maps and gene mapping studies aiming to link phenotype and genotype. Exploratory sequencing in pines and spruces have pointed out some of the unique properties of these giga-genomes and suggested strategies that may be needed to extract value from their sequencing. The hope is that recent and pending developments in sequencing technology will contribute to rapidly filling the knowledge vacuum surrounding their structure, contents and evolution. Researchers are also making plans to use comparative analyses that will help to turn the data into a valuable resource for enhancing and protecting the world's conifer forests.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. RNA. 2008 Aug;14(8):1508-15 - PubMed
    1. Genome Res. 2008 Apr;18(4):571-84 - PubMed
    1. Mol Ecol. 2011 Apr;20(8):1702-16 - PubMed
    1. BMC Genomics. 2011 May 24;12:264 - PubMed
    1. PLoS One. 2009;4(2):e4332 - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources