Major Plant Genome Research Projec...( Scientists will soon have access to th...)

Scientists will soon have access to the first complete genome sequence of a flowering plant. The National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), have funded three groups of researchers to begin systematic large-scale genome sequencing of a plant named Arabidopsis thaliana. The ultimate goal is to sequence the entire Arabidopsis genome, at a rate of about 200 genes per month, and to develop the first complete gene sequence map of a higher plant. The three-year awards total approximately $12 million.

Arabidopsis thaliana is a small plant in the mustard family, and has the smallest genome and the highest gene density so far identified in a flowering plant. What scientists learn from the study of Arabidopsis genes will be immediately applicable to economically important plant species, according to Mary Clutter, NSF assistant director for biological sciences, and will lead to the creation of new and improved plants and plant-based products. "Because plants are vital to our existence, increased understanding of the biology of plants will impact every facet of our lives, from agriculture, to energy, to the environment, to health," says Clutter.

In 1990, the Multinational Coordinated Arabidopsis thaliana Genome Research Project was launched by an international group of scientists who recognized the need for study of one plant with the basic properties of all plants. "During the past several years, Arabidopsis has become established worldwide as the species of choice for molecular genetic studies of plant biology," says Clutter.

"Decoding the DNA of this model plant will provide a complete catalog of all the genes involved in the life cycle of the typical plant, from seed to flower and fruit," says Martha Krebs, director of DOE's office of energy research. Applications of the genetic information learned
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Contact: Cheryl Dybas
cdybas@nsf.gov
703-306-1070
National Science Foundation
25-Sep-1996