Rose Genomics: Insights into Flower Development and Function

Rose is one of the most cherished domesticated plants in human history. During centuries, generations of rose breeders had fastidiously selected the showy and desirable traits of Rosa species based on keen and meticulous observation. Several traits, involving mainly floral quality (ie. recurrent flowering, flower form and double flowers, scent, …), are of high economic importance. The molecular and genetic mechanisms controlling these characters remain poorly understood. Some of these important characters that are difficult to address in other model species, such as Arabidopsis, can be studied in the rose. Besides its economic importance, the rose is well suited to be a model organism for woody ornamental species. Moreover, the rose has a relatively small genome size (about 560 Mbp) and it has a short life cycle for a perennial woody plant. During the past years, we and our collaborators have generated a number of molecular, genomic and biotechnology tools such as an efficient and reproducible genetic transformation as well as a database and a WEB interface that provide useful information on Rosa sp. expressed genes, with thorough annotation and an overview of expression patterns for transcripts with good accuracy; the latest represented a valuable prerequisite to the sequencing of the rose genome, currently in progress. We are using a multi-approach scale to help understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms associated with some of these traits and more specifically flower initiation and development as well as scent biosynthesis. Recent advances will be presented and discussed