GENOMICS

Genomics … the study of life

International Rice Genome Sequencing Project

Corn, cotton, tomato, soybean, and a patent

DNA fingerprinting, drought tolerance, and pest resistance

Partners and future directions

Team members

Program detail

International Rice Genome Sequencing Project

In the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project, scientists in 10 countries are analyzing all of the 430 million molecules of genetic information, known as bases, which are contained in the grain’s 12 chromosomes. By comparison, the human genome includes 3 billion bases in 26 chromosomes.

Their goal is to sequence the entire rice genome by 2004. The next phase of research will investigate which genes control various functions, such as crop yield or disease resistance.

Rice is the single most important food crop in the world, feeding more than half of the human population. It also has the smallest genome in the grain family so it can serve as a model to understand all the cereal crops. With current technology, it is not yet practical to sequence larger grain genomes such as wheat, which has 16 billion bases.

For the rice project, Clemson scientists are leading one of three analytical teams in the United States and providing the genetic materials used by other scientific teams.