Understanding disease resistance gene evolution across the Brassicaceae. Pan genomes represent the diversity of a species, including structural and sequence variation, which cannot be provided by a reference genome alone. In this project we will characterise resistance gene diversity across the Brassicaceae pan genomes. Through comparison with resistance gene diversity in cultivated Brassica species we will understand selection underlying resistance gene evolution in wild species and subsequent ....Understanding disease resistance gene evolution across the Brassicaceae. Pan genomes represent the diversity of a species, including structural and sequence variation, which cannot be provided by a reference genome alone. In this project we will characterise resistance gene diversity across the Brassicaceae pan genomes. Through comparison with resistance gene diversity in cultivated Brassica species we will understand selection underlying resistance gene evolution in wild species and subsequent domestication and breeding. Knowledge on how variation affects disease susceptibility, especially to the devastating fungal pathogen blackleg, and contributes to phenotypic variation, will lead to improved plant protection strategies and increased crop resilience.Read moreRead less
The More the Merrier? Investigating copy number variation in Brassicas. This project intends to develop an understanding of how gene copy number variation affects disease susceptibility to help in the design of novel plant protection strategies. Gene copy number variants (CNVs) are segments of DNA that have been duplicated or lost in the genome of one individual or line with respect to another. CNVs have been shown to contribute significantly to phenotypic differences in humans, including diseas ....The More the Merrier? Investigating copy number variation in Brassicas. This project intends to develop an understanding of how gene copy number variation affects disease susceptibility to help in the design of novel plant protection strategies. Gene copy number variants (CNVs) are segments of DNA that have been duplicated or lost in the genome of one individual or line with respect to another. CNVs have been shown to contribute significantly to phenotypic differences in humans, including disease susceptibility, and the same seems to apply in plants. This project aims to apply the genome sequences for Brassica species to detect CNVs from re-sequencing data. Knowing how this variation affects an individual or line’s disease susceptibility, especially to the devastating fungal pathogen blackleg, could improve plant protection strategies and crop production.Read moreRead less