Genome Sequence of 5,310-Year-Old Maize Cob Provides Insights on Its Early Domestication
November 23, 2016 |
Researchers from the Natural History Museum of Denmark published a study of a 5,310-year-old maize cob from the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico, providing new insights into the early stages of maize domestication.
In the gene-by-gene analysis, the ancient sample shows many key genes had already been modified through human selection, including the lack of a hard seed coat and changes in flowering time. Archaeological evidence suggests that 5,000 years ago, people who planted and consumed maize likely lived in small groups of people from extended families, which explains why the ancient Tehuacan Valley maize is morphologically and genetically so distinct from modern corn.
Jazmín Ramos Madrigal, one of the authors of the study said that these ancient people moved seasonally and mostly consumed wild plants and animals, supplementing their diets with some domesticated plants. It was only during later periods with higher populations and socially stratified societies that maize became a staple. She cites the Olmecs (~1200 BC) and the Maya (200BC – 1000 AD), who required reliable and predictable food sources to support their cities, and it was at that point that maize would have undergone further selection for important traits.
For more details, visit the University of Copenhagen website.
|
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Report Says Developing World Achieves Significant Growth in Biotechnology
- ICAR-CIRCOT Hosts High Level African Delegation Biotech Study Tour in India
- African Delegation Visits Indian Bt Cotton Farmers
- Scientists Shut off Plant's Sunshield to Boost Productivity
- U.S. Court Rejects GMO Ban in Hawaii County
- NZ Scientists Develop GE Ryegrass for Healthier Animals
- PH Highlights Role of Biotech in National Development
- Genome Sequence of 5,310-Year-Old Maize Cob Provides Insights on Its Early Domestication
-
Research Highlights
- OsACOS12 is Vital in Pollen Exine Formation and Anther Development in Rice
- Overexpression of RAG2 Improves Grain Yield and Quality of Rice
-
Beyond Crop Biotech
- Chinese Scientists Test CRISPR Gene-editing in Human for the First Time
- DBT Prepares India for "Brucella-Free Villages"
-
From the BICs
- Filipino Senior High School Students Undertake Agri-biotech Boot Camp
-
Plant
- Inactivation of Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Related Genes in Lotus Using CRISPR-Cas9
- Researchers Engineer Potyvirus Resistance in Arabidopsis Using CRISPR/Cas9
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (October 30, 2024)
- Gene Editing Supplement (October 30, 2024)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet