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…
Tag: selection
Conservation, divergence and functions of centromeric satellite DNA families in the Bovidae
350. Escudeiro A, Adega F, Robinson TJ, Heslop-Harrison JS, Chaves R. 2019. Conservation, divergence, and functions of centromeric satellite DNA families in the Bovidae. Genome Biology and Evolution 11(4):1152–1165. doi:10.1093/gbe/evz061 https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evz061 (Open access) Repetitive satellite DNA (satDNA) sequences are abundant in eukaryote genomes, with a structural and functional role in centromeric function. We analysed the nucleotide…
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:…
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…
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…
Polyploidy and interspecific hybridisation: partners for adaptation, speciation and evolution in plants
337. Alix K, Gérard PR, Schwarzacher T, Heslop-Harrison JS. 2017. Polyploidy and interspecific hybridisation: partners for adaptation, speciation and evolution in plants. Annals of Botany 120(2): 183-194. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcx079 (Free access). Polyploidy, defined as whole genome duplication, is present in almost all lineages of higher plants, with multiple rounds of polyploidy occurring in most extant species. This Annals…
The agriculture-nutrition-health nexus at the cost of water availability
332. Noorka IR, Taufiqullah, Heslop-Harrison JS, Schwarzacher T. 2017. The agriculture-nutrition-health nexus at the cost of water availability in maize diverse genotypes to ensure food security. International Journal of Water Resources and Arid Environments 6(2): 242-251, 2017 ISSN 2079-7079 publisher site: https://psipw.org/attachments/article/401/13e.pdf Originally published as: 2016. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Water Resources and the Arid Environments (ICWRAE…
Domestication, polyploidy and genomics of crops and weeds PAGXXV
Plant and Animal Genome Conference in San Diego #PAGXXV each January is the chance to join 3500 people working in genomics. I presented a talk on the molecular cytogenetics group’s work, starting with consideration of early stages of crop domestication, and then thinking about how we can make agriculture more sustainable. I also considered weeds,…
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 