Poster: Integrated Plant Biology

Abs # 92: Consortium for Maize Genomics - Approach evaluation for targeted sequencing of maize genes

Presenter:	Whitelaw, Catherine A, whitelaw@tigr.org
Authors	Whitelaw, Catherine A (A)   Quackenbush, John  (A)   Schubert, Karel  (B)   Beachy, Roger  (B)   Barbazuk, Brad  (B)   Lakey, Nathan  (C)   Bennetzen, Jeffrey  (D)
Affiliations:	(A): The Institute for Genomic Research (B): The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (C): Orion Genomics (D): Purdue University

Maize is both a classical genetic model for plant research and an economically important crop; however, the size and complexity of the maize genome deem it recalcitrant to whole genome sequencing. Current estimates indicate that genes constitute a mere 15-20% of the maize genome with the remainder consisting of highly repetitive DNA. The initial objective of the Consortium for Maize Genomics is to evaluate two approaches to sequencing the maize ‘genespace’ (methylation filtration and high Cot selection) in order to provide the most rapid and cost-effective alternative to sequencing the whole genome. At TIGR, we are generating paired end sequence reads from 250,000 methylation filtered clones and 250,000 high Cot clones. The sequences are clustered and assembled, both independently and in combination, at quarterly intervals. The resulting maize genomic assemblies and singletons are annotated based on homology searches, with subsequent development of improved methods for annotation. The results of these analyses, a BLAST-searchable database, Maize Assembly Annotator and alignment of the maize assemblies to the genetic map are presented in the TIGR Maize Database (http://www.tigr.org/tdb/tgi/maize). The results of the latest assemblies will be presented and discussed.