Genome and transcriptome sequencing identifies breeding targets in the orphan crop tef (Eragrostis tef).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tef (Eragrostis tef), an indigenous cereal critical to food security in the Horn of Africa, is rich in minerals and protein, resistant to many biotic and abiotic stresses and safe for diabetics as well as sufferers of immune reactions to wheat gluten. We present the genome of tef, the first species in the grass subfamily Chloridoideae and the first allotetraploid assembled de novo. We sequenced the tef genome for marker-assisted breeding, to shed light on the molecular mechanisms conferring tef's desirable nutritional and agronomic properties, and to make its genome publicly available as a community resource.

Results

The draft genome contains 672 Mbp representing 87% of the genome size estimated from flow cytometry. We also sequenced two transcriptomes, one from a

SUBMITTER: Cannarozzi G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4119204 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature