Reading the Second Code: Mapping Epigenomes to Understand Plant Growth, Development, and Adaptation to the Environment

We have entered a new era in agricultural and biomedical science made possible by remarkable advances in DNA sequencing technologies. The complete sequence of an individual's set of chromosomes (collectively, its genome) provides a primary genetic code for what makes that individual unique, jus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Plant cell 2012-06, Vol.24 (6), p.2257-2261
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Physiological
COMMENTARY
Computational Biology - methods
Databases, Genetic
Datasets
DNA
Epigenetics
Epigenomics
Epigenomics - methods
Funding
Genes
Genetic code
Genomes
Plant Development - genetics
Plant growth
Plants
Plants - genetics
Research - trends
RNA
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Summary:We have entered a new era in agricultural and biomedical science made possible by remarkable advances in DNA sequencing technologies. The complete sequence of an individual's set of chromosomes (collectively, its genome) provides a primary genetic code for what makes that individual unique, just as the contents of every personal computer reflect the unique attributes of its owner. But a second code, composed of "epigenetic" layers of information, affects the accessibility of the stored information and the execution of specific tasks. Nature's second code is enigmatic and must be deciphered if we are to fully understand and optimize the genetic potential of crop plants. The goal of the Epigenomics of Plants International Consortium is to crack this second code, and ultimately master its control, to help catalyze a new green revolution.
ISSN:1040-4651
1532-298X
DOI:10.1105/tpc.112.100636