“Tomato genome sequence bears fruits”- Today June
02, 2012, this is one of the most important day in the world of Genetic Engg,
since scientists have sequenced the genome of one more living organism- Solanum lycopersicum, in common
language, the Tomato.
The
genome sequence of the world’s highest valued salad plants, is deciphered by an
international group of scientists, and is published in Nature. This fruit is produced in 146 million tonnes globally per
year.
What
do the leaders say about this?
According
to the leaders of Tomato Genome Consortium, UK, Tomatoes have triplicated their
genome thrice in past hundred million years. The sequence will make precision
breeding possible not only in tomatoes, but also in Solanaceae family. There is
a hope that this genome will help in the development of tomatoes that survive
pests, resistance to pathogens, climate change and will also improve the
quality of fruit.
“Its
all about making a better tomato, which involves a lot of things that were not
possible before”, says Allen Van Deynze, a molecular geneticist at the Seed
Biotechnology Centre, UC Davis. More than 90% of the genes have been identified
for tomato today.
About the genome.
Usually
plant genomes are more likely to be complicated than animals. Tomato genome is
only one quarter of the human genome, around 900 megabases, 35K genes, over 12
chromosomes. But even for this, it took more than a decade to decode this
genome. Started in 2003, about 300 scientists from 90 institutes across 14
countries were involved in this work.
Why Genome Sequencing is important?
In
Biology, it is important to know the molecular pathways that help any organism
to function. Almost all of them are controlled by genes, so it is of utmost
importance to know what genes are responsible for different functions. The
genome helps the plant breeders to make perfect crosses between variants with
desirable traits. So this breeding will help to create products which are
disease resistant and more tolerable. Also the quality and quantity of the
products can be improved. It is also very difficult to know what genes are
responsible for traits and specially on which chromosomes are these genes
located. But today’s molecular tools and latest knowledge on sequencing helps
to avoid these problems and makes way for the genome sequencing to be possible.
-PARTH JOSHI.
B-Tech Genetic
Engineering.