The grapevine genome sequence suggests ancestral hexaploidization in major angiosperm phyla

The fourth genome sequence of a flowering plant, the second of a woody plant species and the first for a fruit crop. These important boxes are ticked by the genome sequence published in this issue. The new sequence is particularly revealing about the role of gene duplication in the evolution of the flowering plants. But the reason why non-geneticists will turn to it is more to do with its commercial application: the crop is the grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and the variety is Pinot Noir. A French and Italian consortium has produced sequence and analysis of Vitis vinifera PN40024, a grapevine originally derived from Pinot Noir. As you might expect, the grapevine has twice as many terpene synthases as other…

• FC
  Fondazione CRT
• AN
  Agence Nationale de la Recherche
• IN
  Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
• RA
  Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia