Objective Allopolyploidy has played a major evolutionary role in the formation of many plant species. The goal of this project is to study the nature of genomic changes that are associated with polyploidy.This is of particular importance for our understanding of(i) biodiversity and;(ii) the nature of many polyploid crop plants. In particular we will study the role of polyploidy in influencing or promoting genome re-organisation, chromosome divergence and sequence evolution.We will use natural and artificially synthesized amphidiploids of Triticum and Aegilops as model systems to test the speed of genetic change in polyploid systems. Low-copy coding and non-coding DNA sequences, genome-specific repeats, and C-heterochromatin regions will be analysed to compare the genomic organization in hybrids with their diploid progenitors and parental species.The investigators are all experts in various fields of wheat molecular genetics, cytogenetics and evolution. Scientists from geographically different regions of Russia, from Israel and Great Britain are involved.We will:(1) Analyse genome, chromosome and repetitive sequence organisation and evolution in natural and newly-synthesized hybrids by comparison with the diploid progenitors and parental forms;(2) Monitor genomic change during early generations of newly- synthesized amphidiploids;(3) Determine factors causing genomic modification in polyploids at the DNA level, particularly the roles of(a) intergenomic recombination;(b) DNA methylation;(c) ploidy level;(d) cytoplasm-nucleus interactions;(e) genetic backgrounds of the parental forms;(f) chromosomal location;(g) primary structure of the DNA, and;(h) gene conversion.The data will test models of genome evolution associated with polyploidy leading to an enhanced understanding of the genetic systems of wheat, other polyploid crop plants, and also the role of polyploidy in promoting plant speciation. Programme(s) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Topic(s) 4 - Life Sciences OPEN - OPEN Call Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator University of London EU contribution No data Address Mile End Road E1 4NS London United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Russian Academy of Sciences Russia EU contribution No data Address 32 Vavilov Street 119991 Moscow See on map Total cost No data Siberian branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Russia EU contribution No data Address Lavrentiev prospect, 10 630090 Novosibirsk See on map Total cost No data Weizmann Institute of Science Israel EU contribution No data Address 76100 Rehovot See on map Total cost No data
