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GENOPLANTE, a new program for plant genome analysis in France
Dominique Job1, Michel Caboche2, Georges Pelletier3, and the scientists
of the Génoplante program4
1Laboratoire mixte CNRS-INRA-Aventis CropScience, Lyon, France; 2Unité
de recherche en génomique végétale, Evry, France;
3Génétique et amélioration des plantes, INRA, Versailles,
France; 4http://www.genoplante.org)
Because plants and plant-derived products are the main sources of nutrients
for animals and humans, plant genome analysis is a rapidly expanding field
of research. Specific tools are being developed, including the building
of physical maps with RFLP, AFLP and SNP markers, the coverage of these
genomes with overlapping genomic fragments (e.g. YACs and BACs), which
can speed up the process of positional cloning of genes of agronomic interest
and the sequencing of genomes. Two model species, Arabidopsis and rice,
have been elected for being integrally sequenced. At the same time, these
model species are currently the target for functional analysis and gene
identification. The analysis of the genomes of crops is more tedious,
due to their size and redundancy. The synteny existing between model genomes
and the genomes of crops is therefore considered as a possible way to
speed up their analysis.
In France a program named Génoplante has been set up to study model
(Arabidopsis and rice) as well as crop (wheat, corn, rapeseed, sunflower
and pea) genomes. Public (INRA, CNRS, CIRAD, IRD) and private (Aventis,
Biogemma, Bioplante) partners have agreed to collaborate on the these
issues, notably in order to a) develop expertise and competitiveness in
the field of plant genome analysis and b) identify performing alleles,
useful for molecular breeding by positional cloning and candidate gene
approaches. Each plant research program involves four areas: a) genome
analysis (Maps/BAC libraries/EST/Tools for cloning), b) agronomic traits,
c) resistance to pathogens, and d) quality-related traits. Specific features
of the scientific projects managed by the Génoplante GIS (Groupement
d'intérêt scientifique) include: a) public-private balance
in decision making, b) joint public and private funding for a 5-year program
(200 millions €/5 years), c) filing of patents, access to technologies,
licensing managed by Génoplante-Valor (created in September 2001),
and d) contribution of the French scientists to the understanding of specific
functions of plant genomes at a fundamental level. A total of 94 projects
have been funded in phase 1 started in 1999 (400 scientists involved).
A total of about 100 selected projects will start in phase 2 in autumn
2001. Information on Génoplante programs, data, and program coordinators
can be found at http://www.genoplante.org. To favor fast public availability
of data, access to the Génoplante database was open in July 2001
via http://www.infobiogen.fr/genoplante-info/.
Finally, a major goal of the French Génoplante program is to catalyze
the creation of a European network in plant genomics. As a starting point
of this collaborative action, several joint projects between Génoplante
and Gabi (Genome Analysis of the Plant Biological System; the German program
on plant genomics), dealing with specific aspects of functional analysis
of the Arabidospis genome, such as with nitrogen nutrition, cell wall
metabolism, membrane proteins and sharing resource data on knocked-out,
T-DNA, transformants will be co-funded by the French and German ministries
for research.
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