The first Asian rice pangenome was created by Chinese scientists, let’s learn more!

Researchers developed it by piecing together essential components of the genomes from 144 types of wild and cultivated rice varieties, from Asia utilizing ‘PacBio high-fidelity’ (HiFi) sequencing technology.

Researchers also backed the theory that all Asian cultivated rice originated evolutionarily from a wild type known as Or-IIIa.

Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) was brought under cultivation from its feral ancestor O. rufipogon, Or-IIIa is a form of O. rufipogon.

What exactly is a Pangenome?

It comprises a compilation of genome sequences from numerous individuals of the identical species.

A genome refers to the entire collection of genetic data within an living being.

It represents a type of reference genome.

Pangenome includes both shared genes and outlines the distinct genes present in the individual varieties while,

Reference genomes typically focus on pinpointing the key genes that define a species.

‘high-accuracy’ (HiFi) Sequencing Technology

It is a single-molecule, real-time sequencing method (SMRT) that delivers remarkable accuracy for single-molecule reads, through extended readings.

It is a type of Long-read sequencing technique for genome sequencing.

Long-read sequencing is a method for sequencing DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) that allows for the sequencing of significantly more extensive DNA segments compared to conventional short-read sequencing techniques.

The introduction of novel traits for disease tolerance and resilience in crops against climate shocks is one of the main uses of pangenome agriculture.

Offers beneficial wild resources for creating better and more fruitful food grain cultivars.

Precision medicine aids in locating genetic markers for diseases that are unique to a population. For instance, the Human Pangenome Project.