Pangenomics, Beyond the Genome

Next generation DNA sequencing has revolutionised biology. Draft genome assemblies are being produced for a diverse range of species. However, while the production of draft genome assemblies is a valuable first step in understanding a species, knowledge of genome variation between individuals allows the association of variation with traits. We have observed large differences in gene content between individuals of the same species and developed methods to sequence the pangenome, representing the gene content of the species rather than the individual. A greater understanding of species level genome variation can assist in our understanding of plant evolution and accelerate genomics based crop improvement.