News

Annotation: Pm1a, the first powdery mildew resistance gene described in wheat, is part of a complex resistance gene cluster located in a distal region of chromosome arm 7AL that has suppressed genetic recombination, which hampered gene cloning by map-based approach. The paper reports the successful cloning of Pm1a from common wheat using the method of mutagenesis and resistance (R) gene enrichment sequencing (MutRenSeq), and identification of the . . .

Annotation:  Crossing over, in addition to its strictly genetic role, is responsible for an orderly reduction of the chromosome number. As such, it is strictly controlled in frequency and distribution. In our new paper, we described direct evidence of chromatid interference. Using in situ probing in two interspecific plant hybrids during anaphase I, we demonstrated that the involvement of four chromatids in double crossovers is . . .

Annotation: Meiotic recombination is a critical process for plant breeding, as it creates novel allele combinations that can be exploited for crop improvement. In wheat, a complex allohexaploid that has a diploid-like behaviour, meiotic recombination between homoeologous or alien chromosomes is suppressed through the action of several loci. Here, we report positional cloning of Pairing homoeologous 2 (Ph2) and functional . . .

Annotation: In the paper of Trnka et al., we modelled the future climate in Europe and its consequences for the grassland managements. Special attention has been paid to the prediction on the occurance of the different abiotic stresses. Using expert knowledge, recommendations for the breeding programs in each of the European regions were made, including specific advice for Festulolium Breeders.Link

Annotation:  The identification of causal genomic loci and their interactions underlying various traits in plants has been greatly aided by progress in understanding the organization of the nuclear genome. Flow cytometric sorting of condensed mitotic chromosomes makes possible to purify single chromosomes in large quantities, and as the DNA remains intact this process can be coupled successfully with many techniques in molecular biology and genomics . . .

More efficient gene transfer from wild species to wheat and acquisition of new varieties with unique properties will be enabled by the identification of an important Ph2 wheat gene. Apart from French and Australian researchers, experts from the Olomouc Laboratory of the Institute of Experimental Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IEB AS CR) have significantly contributed to the discovery published in Nature Communications.

Annotation: FISH with chromosome-arm specific oligo painting probes was used for comparative karyotype analysis in a set of wild Musa species and edible banana clones. The results revealed large differences in chromosome structure discriminating individual accessions. These results permitted identification of putative progenitors of cultivated clones and clarified genomic constitution and evolution of aneuploid banana clones. New insights into the . . .

Annotation: Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and 2 (PRC2) play important roles in many biological processes. They regulate gene expression at the epigenetic level by posttranslationally modifying specific histone residues. The identification of the PRC1 and PRC2 core components and their chromosomal location in hexaploid wheat may enable a deeper understanding of developmental processes, including vernalization, in commonly grown winter wheat . . .

Annotation: Fonio millet (Digitaria exilis) is an orphan African cereal crop with a great potential for dryland agriculture. High-quality genomic resources were established to facilitate fonio improvement through molecular breeding. Creation of a chromosome-scale reference assembly and deep re-sequencing of 183 cultivated and wild Digitaria accessions enabled insights into genetic diversity, population structure, and domestication. Picture describtion:a . . .

Annotation: Our Centre is not only a place of excellent fundamental research. We also aim in helping breeders with their tasks. One of our last activity spans into the field of drought tolerance in forage grasses. Modelling of future climate indicates that this trait will be one of the key characteristics necessary to mitigate the impacts of climate change (especially the increased frequencies of summer drought periods). In collaboration with . . .

Annotation:  Climate change calls for new methods and plant materials to breed crops adapted to new environmental conditions. High-yielding ryegrasses (Lolium spp.), which are the most commonly used grass species, suffer during abiotic stresses, but introgression of drought and heat tolerance from closely related fescues (Festuca spp.) offers an opportunity to develop superior Festulolium (Festuca × Lolium) hybrid cultivars. In the last three . . .

Annotation:  The genetic information is embedded in chromatin, represented by complexes of DNA with structural and regulatory proteins, which orchestrate nuclear functions in time and space. In this review, the consortium of experts from the COST action Impact of Nuclear Domains On Gene Expression and Plant (INDEPTH), including the lead author Ales Pecinka from IEB, summarizes current knowledge on the organization of plant chromatin and the . . .

Annotation:  Hybrid vigor (or heterosis) is the overperformance of a hybrid over its parents in a specific trait or a set of traits. As such, hybrid breeding serves as a tool to efficiently trigger gains in breeding programs. In Swiss alpine swards, we observed frequent prevalence of triploid hybrids of Festuca pratensis x F. apennina with outstanding competitiveness relative to their parental species in the sites of sympatric occurrence . . .

European scientists reach out to the European Parliament and the European Commission to change legislation regarding the use of modern methods of plant genome editing, which will free them to carry out research to benefit agriculture, the economy, and society as a whole.

Annotation:  Polyploids are species with three or more sets of chromosomes. Polyploidy frequently occurs in plants and plays a major role in their evolution. Based on their origin, polyploid species can be divided into two groups: autopolyploids and allopolyploids. Having a polyploid constitution offers some fitness advantages, which could become evolutionarily successful. Nevertheless, polyploid species must develop mechanism(s) that control . . .