Annotation:
Polyploidy is a key force in the evolution of flowering plants. Allopolyploidy involves a merge of distanc
genomes followed by whole-genome duplication. Recently formed allopolyploids retain duplicated
copies of most genes on homoeologous chromosomes. However, it appears that the contribution of
parentel genomes need not to be equal and that altered gene expression is common. Such a divergence is
believed to develop in two phases. The first takes place immediately after the hybrid formation, the
second is a gradual evolution of gene expression mediated by diversification of duplicated genes. Here
we propose to sequence transcriptome of two grass species (Festuca pratensis and Lolium multiflorum).
The sequences will be used to design a Nimblegene chip, which will be used to analyze gene expression
in three successive generations of newly synthesized Festuca × Lolium hybrids. This will provide novel
data on genome interactions and silencing of genes belonging to the parental genomes. Moreover,
komparative genomic hybridization will be used to identify the loss of particular gene loci as a
consequence of the merge of two distinct genomes.
