We are actively researching how to reawaken endogenous transposons in the genomes of horticultural species of importance to New Zealand. To achieve this we use a wide range of genomic and epigenomic approaches to determine the regulatory control on these transposons and how these can be circumvented to increase genomic and therefore phenotypic diversity.
Our Mission
To increase genetic and phenotypic variation in horticultural species of importance to New Zealand. In doing so generate a genetic resource for these species that can be used to both improve outcomes for our horticultural industries and provide important functional genomics tools for these species.
What We've Achieved
- Proof of concept that TE mobilisation can be stimulated in grapevine
- Development of a novel bioinformatic approach for identification of new TE polymorphisms in short read sequence data
- Development of a reduced representation, high throughput genotyping platform for grapevine
- First whole genome single base pair resolution methylation map for grapevine (Pinot noir)
- Development of new reference genomes for specific clones of Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc
- Development of a novel pipeline for identification of transcriptionally active TE loci using short-read RNA-Seq data
- Production of a population of Pinot noir plants containing new TE polymorphisms