I have just received two years of funding from the USDA for a project to
study the molecular evolution of homeologous chromosomal domains in
maize, sorghum and rice. The research focuses on two particular regions;
that surrounding Adh1 of maize and the homologous region of sorghum and
that between the A1 and Sh2 homeologues of maize, sorghum, and rice. This
will be the first project to investigate the evolution of intergenic
sequences in a plant nuclear genome. We have cloned over 500 kb of
contiguous DNA surrounding maize Adh1 on YACs and have over 200 kb of
homologous DNA from sorghum on BACs and cosmids. The A1 and Sh2 genes of
maize are about 140 kb apart on a single YAC, while the A1 and Sh2 genes
of sorghum are less than 80 kb apart on a single BAC. We also have lambda
clones of rice A1 and Sh2 homologues. We have mapped transcripts, scaffold
attachment sites, and repeat classes across these regions. We now plan to
sequence over 200 kb of homeologous DNA from these regions to determine:
(a) what is there and (b) how it has evolved since these three species
diverged. I am looking for a postdoctoral fellow, with experience both in
sequence generation and analysis, to take charge of this project. Funding
will be available as of June 1. Interested candidates should contact me at
"maize at bilbo.bio.purdue.edu" or at 317-494-4763 (phone) or (317) 496-1496
(FAX).
Jeff Bennetzen
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Phillip SanMiguel Purdue
maize at bilbo.bio.purdue.edu Institute for
Molecular "We'll do anything
Bennetzen Lab Plant for funding."
Science
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