德国莱布尼茨植物遗传学与农作物研究所的Nils Stein博士带领一个国际科研团体，经过两年努力，终于首次观察到谷类作物大麦的全基因组。科学家们借助他们建立的新方法，已能确定大麦全部基因2/3的排序，这些成果成为完整破译大麦与相近的小麦基因组的基础。
根据来自世界粮农组织的信息，小麦与大麦在全球种植最多的谷物排名中分别占据第一和第五位，它们对于经济与科研具有重要意义。科学家们只有在掌握了植物的遗传密码后，才能理解为其复杂性状负责的分子机制。而了解遗传密码也是改善作物重要性能的基础，比如耐旱与抵抗力。
然而谷物基因组极其庞大且构造复杂，这使得完整解码困难很大。Stein博士称，大麦基因组约为人类基因组的两倍半，是水稻基因组的12倍，全部解码需要1亿美元经费。成功测试的新方法现已用来研究更为庞大的小麦基因组。
由于很多农作物具有相似性，研究人员可以将大麦的遗传信息与特征表现之间的关系转用于研究比如黑麦等其他近似的谷类。
此研究成果已发表于《植物细胞》第23期。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原文出处：
The Plant Cell doi: 10.1105/tpc.110.082537
Unlocking the Barley Genome by Chromosomal and Comparative Genomics
Klaus F.X. Mayer, Mihaela Martis, Pete E. Hedley, Hana imková, Hui Liu, Jenny A. Morris, Burkhard Steuernage, Stefan Taudien, Stephan Roessner, Heidrun Gundlach, Marie Kubaláková, Pavla Suchánková, Florent Murat, Marius Felder, Thomas Nussbaumer, Andreas Graner, Jerome Salsef, Takashi Endog, Hiroaki Sakaih, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Takeshi Itoh, Kazuhiro Sato, Matthias Platzere, Takashi Matsumotoh, Uwe Scholz, Jaroslav Dole?el, Robbie Waugh,1 and Nils Stein
We used a novel approach that incorporated chromosome sorting, next-generation sequencing, array hybridization, and systematic exploitation of conserved synteny with model grasses to assign ~86% of the estimated ~32,000 barley (Hordeum vulgare) genes to individual chromosome arms. Using a series of bioinformatically constructed genome zippers that integrate gene indices of rice (Oryza sativa), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and Brachypodium distachyon in a conserved synteny model, we were able to assemble 21,766 barley genes in a putative linear order. We show that the barley (H) genome displays a mosaic of structural similarity to hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) A, B, and D subgenomes and that orthologous genes in different grasses exhibit signatures of positive selection in different lineages. We present an ordered, information-rich scaffold of the barley genome that provides a valuable and robust framework for the development of novel strategies in cereal breeding.
