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| FSU sows seeds to build corn's genetic 'road map' |
| By FSU Media Relations Office |
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FSU biology Professor Hank Bass has pioneered technology to detect specific genes in corn using florescent dyes, which allows them to be viewed under the microscope. Here, Bass highlights chromosome number 9 (in red) and a segment of DNA that contains the bronze1 gene (green dots). The technology could help scientists isolate and clone genes to enhance corn production. (Photo: George Koumbaris) |
Corn, or maize, is America's agricultural workhorse. We pop it, grind it, cook it as a fresh vegetable, feed it to livestock, use it for beverages and even turn it into fuel for our cars.
Now, Florida State University biology Professor Hank Bass will try to help farmers grow more corn with a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation's Plant Genome Research Program.
Bass has developed a technique to make corn genes fluorescent so that they can be viewed under a microscope. He will use the technique to create a cytogenetic map of the entire corn genome. Armed with such a map, a sort of directory of where genes are located on a corn chromosome, scientists will be able to isolate and clone genes that are important to production.
"You can cross the country without a road map but it's easier if you have one," said Bass. "We're going to visualize by direct inspection where the genes are. This will facilitate and accelerate ongoing efforts to improve maize."
Corn is a $20 billion industry, according to the National Corn Growers Association, and the U.S. produces more than 9 billion bushels a year.
"Maize is an important research organism," added Bass. "It has been a classic genetic system for biology, and we're going to build a map of all 10 of its chromosomes."
The four-year grant is FSU's first from the plant genome program.
For more information, contact Hank Bass, (850) 644-9711; bass@bio.fsu.edu
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