My job has three parts: 1) Research in biodiversity and agricultural genetics; 2) Critical evaluation of other research through journals and reviews; and, perhaps most imprtantly, 3) Telling people about the value, interest and importance of the natural and agricultural environment. I was delighted to visit Dinghu, the first Chinese National Nature Reserve, founded in…
Tag: diversity
Messages for COP29 : UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC-COP29
The annual conference for the UN treaty took place in the middle two weeks of November. The first week largely involves formal work and statement by Government ministers and Presidents, while the second week gave many opportunities for contribution to panels and documents. COP29 of UNFCCC is arguably the highest profile event with impact on…
Launching a new journal: Biological Diversity
Biological Diversity is a new, open access, not-for-profit journal specializing in research that explores biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of resources. It integrates botanical, zoological, microbiological, taxonomic, phylogenetic, genomic, ecological, climatological, economic, and sociological disciplines. Wiley is the publisher.
Avena longiglumis: a 3,961 Mb diploid oat genome sequence assembly
The study presents the chromosome-level genome assembly of Avena longiglumis, a diploid oat species. The assembly is high-quality, with 99% completeness and 40,845 annotated protein-coding genes. It provides insights into genome evolution, expansion, and structural variations, offering valuable information for oat breeding and functional genomics. Additionally, mitochondrial genome and comparative studies have been conducted.
Adaptive benefits of deleterious mutations in crops
A review and viewpoint research paper by Sangam L. Dwivedi, Pat Heslop-Harrison, Charles Spillane, Peter C. McKeown, David Edwards, Irwin Goldman and Rodomiro OrtizTrends in Plant Science, on-line first https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2023.01.006 and 2023 Deleterious mutations are genetic changes that negatively impact the function and fitness of an organism. Our new review paper highlights how some deleterious…
Perspectives on research with varietal diversity and sustainable utilization in enset (Ensete banana)
347. Wilkin P, Davis A, Demissew S, Etherington T, Goodwin M, Heslop-Harrison P, Schwarzacher T, Willis K. 2018. A perspective to enhance innovative research with emphasis on varietal diversity and sustainable utilization of enset (Ensete ventricosum). Ethiopian Journal of Biological Sciences 17(Suppl.): 201–209. Wilkin et al. Perspectives for research and enset. Ethiopian J Biol Sci…
IAEA-FAO Manual on mutation breeding and introduction to plant breeding and selection
346. Nielen S., Forster BP, Heslop-Harrison JS. 2018. Mutagen effects in the first generation after seed treatment: biological effects of mutation treatments. Chapter 4 In: FAO/IAEA. Manual on Mutation Breeding – Third edition. Spencer-Lopes MM, Forster BP, Jankuloski L (eds), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome, Italy. 301 pp. Free download of whole book:…
A global strategy for the conservation and use of coconut genetic resources 2018-2028
345. Baudouin L, Heslop-Harrison P, Pereira MG. 2018. 3.9.2 Preparing the era of marker-assisted breeding – Chapter 3. Where we need to be to secure diversity and promote use. In Bourdeix R & Prades A (Eds.), A Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Coconut Genetic Resources 2018-2028. pp 169-171. Montpellier, France. Bioversity International….
Biodiversity in Ethiopian linseed: molecular characterization of landraces
342. Mhiret WN, Heslop-Harrison JS. 2018. Biodiversity in Ethiopian linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.): molecular characterization of landraces and some wild species. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 65: 1603–1614. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-018-0636-3 or author version: Linseed Linum Ethiopia Molecular Diversity Worku Mhiret GRACE 2018 Author Version Molecular characterization of germplasm is important for sustainable exploitation of crops. DNA diversity was…
Complete mitogenomes from Kurdistani sheep – abundant centromeric nuclear copies representing diverse ancestors
341. Mustafa SI, Schwarzacher T, and Heslop-Harrison JS. 2018. Complete mitogenomes from Kurdistani sheep: abundant centromeric nuclear copies representing diverse ancestors. Mitochondrial DNA Part A https://doi.org/10.1080/24701394.2018.1431226 (publisher – see free publisher link below if you can’t access) AND Mustafa et al_2018 AuthorVersion The geographical center of domestication and species diversity for sheep (Ovis aries) lies around the…
Morphology, adaptation and speciation
Heslop-Harrison JS. 2017. Morphology, adaptation and speciation. Annals of Botany 120(7): 621-624. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcx130The study of plant evolution and development in a phylogenetic context has accelerated research advances in both areas over the last decade. The addition of a robust phylogeny for plant taxa based on DNA as well as morphology has given a strong context for this research. Genetics…
Identification and characterization of mobile genetic elements LINEs from Brassica genome
Nouroz F, Noreen S, Khan MF, Ahmed S, Heslop-Harrison JS. 2017. Identification and characterization of mobile genetic elements LINEs from Brassica genomes. Gene 627: 94-105. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.06.015.. Abstract Among transposable elements (TEs), the LTR retrotransposons are abundant followed by nonLTR retrotransposons in plant genomes, the lateral being represented by LINEs and SINEs. Computational and molecular approaches were…
New Project on Molecular Cytogenetics and Genomics of Ensete banana
We have a research project starting in 2017 on Ethiopian banana, Ensete ventricosum, for 18 months, in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Dr Paul Wilkin) and University of Addis Ababa (Professor Sebsebe Demissew). There is a post-doctoral position working with the project (closed 7 August 2017). The project “Modelling and genomics resources to enhance…
Molecular Cytogenetics Group – an infographic of what we do
Infographic: what we do in the Molecular Cytogenetics Research Group
Introgression of chromosome segments from multiple alien species in wheat breeding lines with wheat streak mosaic virus resistance
324. Ali N, Heslop-Harrison JS, Ahmad H, Graybosch RA, Hein GL, Schwarzacher T. 2016. Introgression of chromosome segments from multiple alien species in wheat breeding lines with wheat streak mosaic virus resistance. Heredity (2016) 117, 114–123; published online 1 June 2016 doi:10.1038/hdy.2016.36 Author version: N_Ali_et al 2016 Multiple Alien Introgressions in Wheat Publisher site: http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/hdy201636a.pdf Pyramiding of…
Molecular cytogenetics, genome evolution and agricultural genomics 