The genome of the japonica subspecies of rice, an important cereal and model monocot, was sequenced and assembled by whole-genome shotgun sequencing. The assembled sequence covers 93% of the 420-megabase genome. Gene predictions on the assembled sequence suggest that the genome contains 32,000 to 50,000 genes. Homologs of 98% of the known maize, wheat, and barley proteins are found in rice. Synteny and gene homology between rice and the other cereal genomes are extensive, whereas synteny with Arabidopsis is limited. Assignment of candidate rice orthologs to Arabidopsis genes is possible in many cases. The rice genome sequence provides a foundation for the improvement of cereals, our most important crops.

We have produced a draft sequence of the rice genome for the most widely cultivated subspecies in China, Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica, by whole-genome shotgun sequencing. The genome was 466 megabases in size, with an estimated 46,022 to 55,615 genes. Functional coverage in the assembled sequences was 92.0%. About 42.2% of the genome was in exact 20-nucleotide oligomer repeats, and most of the transposons were in the intergenic regions between genes. Although 80.6% of predicted Arabidopsis thaliana genes had a homolog in rice, only 49.4% of predicted rice genes had a homolog in A. thaliana. The large proportion of rice genes with no recognizable homologs is due to a gradient in the GC content of rice coding sequences.

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Transcriptional profiling results, using our non-invasive induction assay [short exposure intervals (2–5 h) to sub-lethal amounts of insecticides (

We have constructed a physical map of the human genome by using a panel of 90 whole-genome radiation hybrids (the TNG panel) in conjunction with 40,322 sequence-tagged sites (STSs) derived from random genomic sequences as well as expressed sequences. Of 36,678 STSs on the TNG radiation hybrid map, only 3604 (9.8%) were absent from the unassembled draft sequence of the human genome. Of 20,030 STSs ordered on the TNG map as well as the assembled human genome draft sequence and the Celera assembled human genome sequence, 36% of the STSs had a discrepant order between the working draft sequence and the Celera sequence. The TNG map order was identical to one of the two sequence orders in 60% of these discrepant cases.

We provide primer sequences for 14 (GA)n microsatellite loci developed from northern red oak, an important timber species. We screened loci using two sets of samples. A parent–offspring set included DNA from seven acorns collected from one mother tree along with maternal DNA, to determine that all progeny carried a maternal allele at each locus. The other set was comprised of 10 adult trees sampled from Indiana old‐growth forest, providing a measure of diversity revealed by each locus.

The insect digestive system is the first line of defence protecting cells and tissues of the body from a broad spectrum of toxins and antinutritional factors in its food. To gain insight into the nature and breadth of genes involved in adaptation to dietary challenge, a collection of 20 352 cDNAs was prepared from the midgut tissue of cowpea bruchid larvae (Callosobruchus maculatus) fed on regular diet and diets containing antinutritional compounds. Transcript responses of the larvae to dietary soybean cystatin (scN) were analysed using cDNA microarrays, followed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) confirmation with selected genes. The midgut transcript profile of insects fed a sustained sublethal scN dose over the larval life was compared with that of insects treated with an acute high dose of scN for 24 h. A total of 1756 scN-responsive cDNAs was sequenced; these clustered into 967 contigs, of which 653 were singletons. Many contigs (451) did not show homology with known genes, or had homology only with genes of unknown function in a Blast search. The identified differentially regulated sequences encoded proteins presumptively involved in metabolism, structure, development, signalling, defence and stress response. Expression patterns of some scN-responsive genes were consistent in each larval stage, whereas others exhibited developmental stage-specificity. Acute (24 h), high level exposure to dietary scN caused altered expression of a set of genes partially overlapping with the transcript profile seen under chronic lower level exposure. Protein and carbohydrate hydrolases were generally up-regulated by scN whereas structural, defence and stress-related genes were largely down-regulated. These results show that insects actively mobilize genomic resources in the alimentary tract to mitigate the impact of a digestive protease inhibitor. The enhanced or restored digestibility that may result is possibly crucial for insect survival, yet may be bought at the cost of weakened response to other stresses.