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…
Tag: genetics
Banana, Ensete and Boesenbergia Genomics talk by Schwarzacher, Heslop-Harrison, Harikrishna
Comparative genomic analysis in Zingiberales: what can we learn from banana to enable Ensete and Boesenbergia to reach their potential? Talk for Plant and Animal Genomics #PAGXXV Molecular cytogenetics can address challenges in crops with relatively little background knowledge. This talk shows some work around Ensete ventricosum, known as enset, ensete, False banana, Abyssynian or…
CENH3 morphogenesis reveals dynamic centromere associations during synaptonemal complex formation and the progression through male meiosis in hexaploid wheat
330. Sepsi A, Higgins JD, Heslop-Harrison JS, Schwarzacher T. 2017. CENH3 morphogenesis reveals dynamic centromere associations during synaptonemal complex formation and the progression through male meiosis in hexaploid wheat. Plant Journal 89: 235-249. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13379 and Author Version: Sepsi et al. 2016. CENH3 and wheat meiosis. Plant Journal. See bottom of page for YouTube video links. During…
Molecular Cytogenetics Group – an infographic of what we do
Infographic: what we do in the Molecular Cytogenetics Research Group
Analysis of Petunia vein clearing virus (PVCV) sequences, retroelements and tandem repeats in Petunia axillaris N and P. inflata S6
325a. Schwarzacher T, Heslop-Harrison JS, Richert-Pöggeler KR. 2016. Analysis of Petunia vein clearing virus (PVCV) sequences, retroelements and tandem repeats in Petunia axillaris N and P. inflata S6. Supplementary manuscript 2. Nature Plants 2: article number 16074. Link to manuscript: Petunia_PVCV_Repeats_SchwarzacherEtAl2016 Within the genome sequence assemblies of P. axillaris (PaxiN) and P. inflata (PinfS6) and unassembled reads, we…
Regulation should follow robust scientific assessments not opinions
University of Leicester scientist in battle to ‘stem onslaught of pseudoscience’ Geneticist at European Commission alarmed at impact of ‘dogma’ in regulation and the negative impact on the environment and European industry A University of Leicester scientist has joined leading scientists from across Europe in raising an alarm over the ‘pseudoscience’ concerning regulation of compounds used…
Saffron Crocus, quality and fraud in New York Times
Elaine Sciolino discusses saffron in the New York Times. Saffronomics partners Jean Thiercelin and Pat Heslop-Harrison are quoted, with the outcome of the project in developing methods to detect fraud and measure quality. In the article, the special qualities of saffron are discussed and many examples of the use in sweet and savoury foods explain the value in…
Chromosomal distribution and evolution of retrotransposons in diploid and polyploid Brachiaria forage grasses
319. Santos FC, Guyot R, Valle CB do, Chiari L, Techio VH, Heslop-Harrison P, Vanzela ALL. 2015. Chromosomal distribution and evolution of abundant retrotransposons in plants: gypsy elements in diploid and polyploid Brachiaria forage grasses. Chromosome Research 23(3): 571-582. DOI: 10.1007/s10577-015-9492-6 Text Brachiaria_Fabiola_Santos_etal AuthorVersion. Abstract: Like other eukaryotes, the nuclear genome of plants consists of DNA with…
Genetic and physical maps of the Primula vulgaris S locus and localization by chromosome in situ hybridization
314. Li J, Webster MA, Wright J, Cocker JM, Smith MC, Badakshi F, Heslop‐Harrison P, Gilmartin PM. 2015. Integration of genetic and physical maps of the Primula vulgaris S locus and localization by chromosome in situ hybridization. New Phytologist http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.13373/full. dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.13373 Heteromorphic flower development in Primula is controlled by the S locus. The S locus genes, which…
Descriptors for Crocus (Crocus spp.)
312. Molina RV, Guardiola JL, García-Luis D, Renau-Morata B, Sanchis E, González-Nebauer S, de los Mozos M, Rodríguez-Conde MF, Santana O, Pastor-Férriz MT, Fernández JA, Santaella M, Roldán M, Tsimidou M, Polissiou M, Heslop-Harrison JS, Branca F, Mathew B. 2015. Descriptors for Crocus (Crocus spp.). 74pp. Bioversity International, Rome. ISBN-13: 978-92-9043-999-8 Full document: http://www.bioversityinternational.org/uploads/tx_news/Descriptors_for_Crocus_1872_01.pdf Abstract…
Diversity and characters in Ethiopian linseed Linum #PAGXXIII Negash Worku
Many people have talked about Orphan crops – those where there has been little genetic or other research – and the characterization, evaluation and exploitation of germplasm at the #PAGXXIII Plant and Animal Genome Conference this week. Today, I am talking about work by Negash Worku on the Diversity and Characters in Ethiopian Linseed Accessions….
Diversity in Ethiopian linseed (Linum usitatissimum): morphology and seed oil
311. Worku N, Heslop-Harrison JS, Wakjira A. 2015. Diversity in 198 Ethiopian linseed (Linum usitatissimum) accessions based on morphological characterization and seed oil characteristics. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution (GRACE) 62: 1037–1053. doi:10.1007/s10722-014-0207-1 (on-line 20 Jan 2015). And Worku: Linum / Linseed Morphological Diversity in Ethiopia – Author Version. Morphological and molecular characterization of germplasm is important…
Needs for understanding water and food security
“The earth’s land surface receives about 110,000 km3 of rainfall annually. More than half of this water is evapotranspired (transmitted from soils and through plants to the air); about 20,000 km3 falls on land that is cultivated in some form; and about 40,000 km3 becomes available in dams, lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers for human…
Molecular cytogenetics research group October 2014
At our lab. meeting a couple of weeks ago, we were happy to welcome two new PhD students to the group. Here we all are in the lobby of our Adrian Building. We are from six countries, and work on a diverse range of molecular cytogenetics projects. From left to right, left of DNA molecule:…
The origin of an old, resource-efficient crop, Broomcorn millet or Panicum miliaceum
307. Hunt HV, Badakshi F, Romanova O, Howe CJ, Jones M, Heslop-Harrison JS. 2014. Reticulate evolution in Panicum (Poaceae): the origin of tetraploid broomcorn millet, P. miliaceum. Journal of Experimental Botany 65 (12), 3165-3175. DOI:10.1093/jxb/eru161 . (Link to local copy J. Exp. Bot.-2014-Hunt-3165-75) Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet) is a tetraploid cereal which was among the first domesticated crops, but is now a minor…
Molecular cytogenetics, genome evolution and agricultural genomics 