title: Lotus japonicus: legume research in the fast lane.
abstract: Legumes are of immense importance to humanity and a key to sustainable agriculture. Two model species, Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula, are the focus of genome sequencing and functional genomics programmes, but most researchers focus exclusively on one or the other. In spite of this, legume researchers now have a unique opportunity to integrate work on these and other legume species, including soybean, common bean and pea to create a platform for comparative genomics second to none of any other plant family. The question is: do we have the scientific fortitude and political will to achieve this?
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Golm, Germany. udvardi@mpimp-golm.mpg.de
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Udvardi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parniske
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stougaard
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000145:classification*; D018745:Genome, Plant; D000070116:Lotus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029902:Medicago / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology*; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D010802:Phylogeny; D020543:Proteome
chemical_list: D020543:Proteome