Brazil and Embrapa lead an international network for eucalyptus tree genome sequencing - Jun 27, 2007 - 5:05:00 PM

The DNA sequencing think-tank Joint Genome Institute (JGI), of the US Department of Energy (DOE) has just approved Eucagen (Eucalyptus Genome Network) proposal, an initiative sponsored by three countries (among which is Brazil) for the entire eucalyptus genome sequencing (www.jgi.doe.gov/News).
¿One of the key challenges for the achievement of a sustainable energy future is understanding the molecular basis of superior growth and adaptation of woody plants suitable for biomass production¿ says Dario Grattapaglia, a researcher at Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, and coordinator of the Genolyptus project. Mr. Grattapaglia is also one of the three creators and leaders of the proposal approved by the DOE, in collaboration with Zander Myburg, a researcher at the University of Pretoria (South Africa) and Jerry Tuskan (in the USA).
The EUCAGEN network is comprised by more than 140 researchers in 82 public and private organizations in 18 countries. This is perhaps the most global sequencing projects ever approved and developed by JGI as the target plant is global. The cost of development of the sequencing project is estimated in approximately USD 10 million and the outcome will be of public domain, as was the case with the human genome.
The winning proposal included the participation of the Rede Brasileira de Pesquisa do Genoma do Eucalyptus (the ¿Genolyptus¿) scientists and competed with 120 projects from a number of countries that responded to the annual request for proposal issued by the Joint Genome Institute, a DOE agency, to sequence entire genomes of organisms relevant to bioenergy production.
Why Eucalyptus
The Eucalyptus species are among the fastest growing woody plants in the world, is very adaptive and yields excellent wood for a number of industrial applications. The species is planted in over 100 tropical and sub-tropical countries and has a key role in the development of plantation forest trees to produce paper, pulp, energy and wood in a sustainable manner. ¿There are a number of misconceptions about the eucalyptus. In fact, the eucalyptus tree has three very beneficial functions in the environment: (1) it has an excellent carbon sequestration capacity; (2) it is an effective source in the production of fiber and bioenergy; and (3) it contributes to the recovery of degraded areas¿, says Grattapaglia.
The eucalyptus planted area worldwide is approximately 18 million hectares. Brazil alone has 3.5 million hectares of planted eucalyptus, with one of the highest productivity rates in the world, as a result of its superior silvicultural and genetic technology. In Brazil, eucalyptus as an industrial feedstock totals 2% of the GDP and is among the country¿s key export products, with a yearly contribution of US$ 6 billion, and generates over 2 million direct and indirect jobs.
The Genolyptus, funded by a public-private partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology (the MCT), reached a position of global leadership it its five-year existence. The project involves collaboration with a pre-competitive spirit that is unheard of in the country among seven universities, Embrapa and 14 companies of the private sector, such as Rigesa, resulting in important breakthroughs in eucalyptus genomic research applied to genetic improvement.
¿There is no doubt that we had a major role in the project design and submission to the DOE. We will contribute with information and investigational resources of genetic and physical mapping developed under the Genolyptus project that will lead to a detailed analysis of the genome¿ added Mr. Grattapaglia. An American company is also an important contributor by making available an extensive database with expressed gene sequences; a Japanese research institute is expected to join the project to provide sequencing data from another eucalyptus species which is being funded by private investors.
The Eucalyptus grandis which will have its genome sequenced will also be provided by Brazilian organizations. This tree was developed through genetic improvement by researches at the company Suzano and named BRASUZ1. It has unique characteristics in its genetic make-up which makes the job of putting the genome together much easier. The tree is also disease-resistant. ¿The project evaluators really liked the idea¿, said Grattapaglia.
Why sequencing the entire genome?
But why sequencing the entire genome? Hasn¿t it been done earlier in Brazil? ¿Well, as part of the Genolyptus project we sequenced the expressed portion of the genome only, generating 60 millions of bases in the first two years of the project. This was an important achievement back then. Now we are set to perform a job that is 100 times greater to be done at DOE¿s JGI, with a capacity of astonishing 1.8 billions of bases per month¿ said the researcher. As has been done with the human genome, the sequencing of the entire eucalyptus genome will allow us to identify not only the expressed genes, but also the key DNA segments that regulate both the expression and the interaction of these genes.
The current timetable provides that the first version of the genome sequencing for the members of the EUCAGEN network will be available in 12 months; the scientists involved will perform a meticulous job of annotating genes and comparing them with other organisms. ¿With all the critical mass and the investigational field work performed in Brazil we are at a privileged position to take practical advantage of the information stemming from the knowledge of the entire genome¿, forecasts the Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia researcher.