Webinar: Decoding the polyploid wheat genome using gene networks

Outline

Gene-centric breeding approaches have the potential to accelerate wheat improvement. However, the large polyploid genome of wheat has hampered efforts to identify and understand gene function, an essential step towards gene-centric breeding. The release of a high-quality reference sequence and resources for functional genomics now provide an opportunity to explore gene function in wheat, yet choosing which genes to study remains a challenge. In this webinar, I will describe how these genomic resources provide a foundation to build gene networks that can unveil gene functions masked by polyploidy. I will highlight a case study in which we used new resources (e.g. gene models, expression atlases and sequenced mutation populations), alongside custom-built gene networks, to identify novel genes regulating senescence.

Presenter

Philippa Borrill, Lecturer in Plant Biology, University of Birmingham, UK

Recording