title: Towards decoding the conifer giga-genome.
abstract: Several new initiatives have been launched recently to sequence conifer genomes including pines, spruces and Douglas-fir. Owing to the very large genome sizes ranging from 18 to 35 gigabases, sequencing even a single conifer genome had been considered unattainable until the recent throughput increases and cost reductions afforded by next generation sequencers. The purpose of this review is to describe the context for these new initiatives. A knowledge foundation has been acquired in several conifers of commercial and ecological interest through large-scale cDNA analyses, construction of genetic maps and gene mapping studies aiming to link phenotype and genotype. Exploratory sequencing in pines and spruces have pointed out some of the unique properties of these giga-genomes and suggested strategies that may be needed to extract value from their sequencing. The hope is that recent and pending developments in sequencing technology will contribute to rapidly filling the knowledge vacuum surrounding their structure, contents and evolution. Researchers are also making plans to use comparative analyses that will help to turn the data into a valuable resource for enhancing and protecting the world's conifer forests.
authors.affiliation: Center for Forest Research, Institute for Integrative and Systems Biology, Université Laval, Québec, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mackay
authors.forename: Jeffrey F D
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plomion
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Francisco M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Cánovas
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavy
authors.forename: Pär K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Ingvarsson
authors.forename: Outi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Savolainen
authors.forename: M Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Guevara
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fluch
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vinceti
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abarca
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Díaz-Sala
authors.forename: María-Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cervera
mesh_terms: D001947:Breeding; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D018745:Genome, Plant; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D005810:Multigene Family; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000235:genetics; D064028:Tracheophyta / Q000235:genetics*; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D018749:RNA, Plant; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated