Biofuel Crops Get Hints from Peach Genome

In the recent issue of Nature Genetics, a team of scientists comprising the International Peach Genome Initiative published the 265-million base genome sequence of the Lovell variety of peach (Prunus persica). In line with this development, scientists at the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI) are now looking at how the peach sequence can be used to study genes found in related tree species that can be tapped as biofuel feedstocks.

Poplar tree, a potential source of second generation biofuel feedstock and one of the flagship species of the DOE JGI, has remarkable resemblance to peach in terms of DNA sequence similarity, according to Jeremy Schmutz, head of the Plant Program at the DOE JGI and member of the consortium that sequenced the peach genome. For this reason, researchers can use the peach sequence not only for peach genetics per se but also for deepening our understanding of the basic biology of the poplar tree toward greater efficiency in biofuel conversion. Peach can be used as a plant model for studying genes found in poplar and such knowledge can be applied for breeding efficient trees. For instance, as current studies show, the peach genome potentially provides insights into metabolic pathways that lead to lignin biosynthesis – the key barrier to conversion of wood biomass to bioethanol.

One of the traits the DOE JGI scientists are particularly interested in is the so-called "evergreen" gene in peach which prolongs the plant's growing season. The idea is to use the peach "evergreen" gene sequence as a hint to hunt a similar gene in poplar. According to Daniel Rokhsar, DOE JGI Eukaryotic Program head, the "evergreen" trait could be manipulated in poplar to increase its biomass yield for biofuel production.