From chromosomes to ecology: Genomics of crop diversity

Title: From chromosomes to ecology: Genomics of crop diversity

Speaker: Jae Choi 

Abstract:

Understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic diversification is a central goal of plant research, and provides insights into the genomic architecture and evolution of plant traits. Genomic technologies have become both powerful tools and providing data that has allowed for deeper understanding of the biology driving diversification in wild and domesticated plants. I will present three topics that combine genomics and evolution to examine the basis of plant diversity, using the crop species rice and maize, and the model plant Arabidopsis: (1) the evolution of telomeres and local adaptation, (2) detecting transcriptional activity in noncoding regions as a novel way to identify plant enhancers, and (3) discovering functionality of the genome using signatures of molecular convergence.