Join us in an interactive chat with Dr. Zhangjun Fei and Dr. Jim Giovannoni to talk about their creation and study of the tomato pan-genome.

July 30, 2020 12:00 PM

Register here.

As genomic sequencing tools become faster and less expensive, the amount of data available to plant researchers has exploded. The Fei lab develops new tools and resources to analyze and integrate these datasets, thereby helping researchers understand how genes work together. One example is the creation of the tomato pan-genome, which he and Dr. Giovannoni analyzed to discover a new version of a gene, called TomLoxC, which contributes to a desirable flavor. The rare version was present in many wild tomatoes but is largely absent in most commercial tomatoes today. Thanks to the pan-genome, “lost” genes encoding traits like flavor, disease resistance and stress tolerance can be discovered and reintroduced into tomatoes.

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This Breaking Ground discussion is sponsored by Sullivan Trading Company, providing can seamers, parts and repairs to the canned food industry for more than 25 years. Find them on the web at SullivanTrading.Com.