This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Most of what is known about the genetic and genomic consequences of polyploidy (genome doubling) is derived from the study of crops, synthetic polyploids, and model plants. To better understand how polyploidy shapes genome evolution and gene function, this project will investigate naturally occurring polyploids using genomic tools. Tragopogon (sunflower family) provides the unique opportunity to study the genetic and genomic changes that occur across a continuum from F1 hybrids to synthetic polyploids to recently and recurrently formed natural populations of T. mirus and T. miscellus that are only 60-80 years post-formation. Through analysis of hundreds of gene loci, the relative frequency of gene loss and gene expression changes in natural polyploid populations of T. mirus and T. miscellus of independent origin and in multiple lines of synthetic polyploids will be assessed.
Understanding polyploid evolution is central to understanding the origin and diversification of most lineages of life, particularly flowering plants, a group in which polyploidy is common (e.g., most crops and weeds are polyploid). This study will be the first application of the proposed genomics methodology to non-model species and serves as a model for use of genomic tools to study species for which limited genetic and genomic resources are available. The project includes many training and mentoring activities. It will provide interdisciplinary research-based training for a postdoctoral scientist, 3 technicians, 2 graduate students and 2 undergraduate students. It will organize symposia and provide mentoring for women in science and for undergraduate researchers. The project also will sponsor workshop for pre-college teachers on genomics and evolution and 2 workshops at professional scientific meetings on use of genomics tools.
