Rice Genome Analysis: Understanding the Genetic Secrets of the Rice Plant

Abstract

The information about heredity which defines every living species is packed in its genome. The discovery of DNA as the material of inheritance and subsequent elucidation of its double helical structure laid the foundation for comprehensive genome analysis, which aims at gaining all the genetic information or sequence of nucleotides of major organisms. Extensive analysis of the rice genome which was initiated in 1991 in Japan has resulted in the production of a large amount of important data with a considerable impact on traditional rice and cereal genetics. This has led to a new direction of rice research and has provided biologists with powerful research tools to reveal the function of all the genes that comprise the rice genome. The new knowledge generated from this endeavor will be very useful for developing novel strategies for rice breeding that will ensure a stable food supply for mankind.

Construction and Evaluation of Chromosome Segment Substitution Lines Carrying Overlapping Chromosome Segments of indica Rice Cultivar 'Kasalath' in a Genetic Background of japonica Elite Cultivar 'Koshihikari'

“…Sequencing of the entire rice genome has made remarkable progress (Sasaki 2003). This achievement has significantly contributed to the molecular analysis of complex traits (Yano 2001, Izawa et al 2003.…”

“…As only one chromosome fragment was substituted, only one additional backcross should be performed for NIL development. Such NILs enabled to combine two or three QTLs in one genetic background, in order to clarify the epistatic interaction among the QTLs , 2003.…”

“…However, some QTLs with minor effects and those with epistatic interaction with other loci might not be detected in QTL analysis (Yano and Sasaki 1997). Such QTLs can be detected by using advanced backcross progeny , 2003. Even though QTLs of interest can be identified in existing primary mapping populations, further development of nearly isogenic lines (NILs) is required for fine mapping and cloning of QTLs.…”

Updates and perspectives on the utilization of molecular makers of complex traits in rice

“…The rice genome characteristics described above provide important clues for the development of strategies to maximize utilization of the genome sequence (Sasaki, 2003). One of the first outcomes of genome sequence-based marker development was an increase in the map-based cloning of QTLs underlying agronomically important rice traits.…”

Completion of Rice Genome Sequencing

“…The Rice Genome Research Program (RGP) has established the genomic resources such as EST sequences and YAC framework physical maps as well as the highdensity genetic maps and markers from 1991 26 . These maps and sequences served as the framework for establishing the map-based sequence of rice.…”