Conserved Non-coding Sequences in the Brassicacaea

Value-directed Evolutionary Genomics Initiative (VEGI) is a Genome Quebec/Canada funded project that exploits converging approaches in comparative, population, and functional genomics to identify, characterize and validate conserved, selectively-constrained and functional non-coding DNA sequences (CNSs) among members of the plant family Brassicaceae. Targets of interest include cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) genes, as well as, conserved transposable-related sequences (i.e., domesticated transposable elements or DTEs) populated in non-coding DNA. We will present an update on the progress of VEGI focusing on a soon to be released atlas of CNSs gleaned from genome sequences of nine recently sequenced Brassicaceae species and plans to exploit a high-throughput phenomics platform (McGill Plant Phenomics Platform or MP3) to validate the annotation and examine the functionality of newly discovered CNSs. Ultimately, VEGI aims to reveal a rich source of valuable targets and serve to enhance plant breeding schemes in agriculturally important Brassicaceae crop species.