GrainGenes

Report of the Barley Genes Workshop

at the VIII International Barley Genetics Symposium

in Adelaide, South Australia, October 23, 2000.

Udda Lundqvist

Svalöf Weibull AB

SE-268 81 Svalöv, Sweden

Agenda:

The following topics were brought up for discussion during the workshop:

1 Nomination of Coordinators.

2 The need of Coordinators in the future.

3 Mapping of EST sequences.

4 The integration of molecular and physical marker maps.

5 International Database of Barley Genes and Genetic Stocks.

6 The maintenance of Barley Genetic Stocks.

7 Barley Genetics Newsletter.

8 Gene Symbols and Nomenclature.

1 Nomination of Coordinators.

In the following, a list of the Chromosome/Linkage Groups and Genetic Stock Collections is presented with the names of the individuals who have agreed to be coordinators.

A. The Overall Chairman for the Chromosome/Linkage Groups and Collections:

Udda Lundqvist, Sweden, was asked by the workshop group to remain as overall coordinator and she agreed to remain another period.

B Coordinators, Chromosome Linkage Groups

a Chromosome 1H (5): Jens Jensen, Denmark.

b Chromosome 2H (2): Jerome D. Franckowiak.

c Chromosome 3H (3): Roger P. Ellis, UK, replaces T. Konishi who retires.

d Chromosome 4H (4): Brian Forster, UK.

e Chromosome 5H (7): George Fedak, Canada.

f Chromosome 6H (6): Duane Falk, Canada.

g Chromosome 7H (1): Lynn Dahleen, USA.

h Integration of molecular and morphological marker maps: Andris Kleinhofs, USA.

C Coordinators, Genetic Stock Collections

a Barley Genetic Stock Center at Aberdeen, ID: An Hang, USA will have the sole responsibility since Darrel Wesenberg retires.

b Trisomics and aneuploid stocks: An Hang, USA.

c Translocations and balanced tertiary trisomics: Gottfried Künzel, Germany, he will be joined by Andreas Houben, Germany, who will replace Künzel after his retirement during 2001.

d Desynaptic genes: Gottfried Künzel, Germany, he will be joined by Andreas Houben, Germany, who will replace Künzel after his retirement during 2001.

e Autotetraploids: Wolfgang Friedt, Germany.

f Disease and pest resistant genes: Brian Steffenson, USA.

g Eceriferum genes: Udda Lundqvist, Sweden.

h Chloroplast genes: Diter von Wettstein, USA.

i Genetic male sterile genes: Mario C. Therrien, Canada.

j Inversions: Bengt-Olle Bengtsson, Sweden with the help of Torbjörn Säll, Sweden.

k Anthocyan genes: Barbro Jende-Strid, Denmark is retiring, and no one has offered to take over this role. Therefore it was decided to discontinue with these genes.

l Ear morphology genes: Udda Lundqvist, Sweden. Arne Hagberg, Sweden, is retiring.

m Semi-dwarf genes: Jerome D. Franckowiak, USA.

n Early maturity genes: Udda Lundqvist, Sweden.

o Chromosome duplications: Arne Hagberg, Sweden, is retiring, and it was suggested that Andreas Houben, Germany, could take over this role.

p Monoclonal antibodies: Steven E. Ullrich, USA. It was resolved at the previous workshop at Saskatoon, Canada, in 1997, to discontinue this area. A final report is published in BGN 28.

q Biochemical mutants (including lysine, hordein and and nitrate reductase genes: Andris Kleinhofs, USA.

r Barley wheat genetic stocks: A.K.M.Rafiqul Islam, Australia.

During the discussions of the nomination of the coordinators, Paul Schulze-Lefert asked about the handling of largescale genomic DNA sequencing information. He suggested that this information should be linked in two ways, through the genes located on the DNA segment as a sequence. Using the Arabidopsis database system as an example was suggested. It was resolved that this information could be available through active links to DNA and gene sequence databases. This has to be followed up by A. Kleinhofs and D. Matthews.

A complete list of the coordinators, names and their addresses will be published in Barley Genetics Newsletter (BGN) annually.

2. The need of Coordinators in the future.

Takeo Konishi, the coordinator for chromosome 3H, proposed a restructuring of the coordination system and improve activities to reflect areas rather than chromosomes. Six coordination areas were proposed. The proposal was extensively discussed with the overall view that it would involve too much work for the individual coordinators. A question was also raised how information could be verified and linked to other members of the Triticeae. Andris Kleinhofs commented he tries to maintain as much information as possible through his website. No resolution was reached.

3. Mapping of EST sequences.

The mapping of EST sequences was considered by several researchers. Several attendies reported of existing EST programmes in several countries i.e. USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Italy, UK, and Andy Kleinhofs proposed to map ESTs to the MorexBAC library. The barley community has been invited to nominate ESTs for mapping. Information on such a proposal and how to submit mapping requests can be found through the GrainGenes website. It was also noted that the NSF program for EST sequencing and mapping in wheat would include 600 clones mapped in barley. This will provide a link between the two species.

4. The integretion of molecular and physical marker maps.

Andris Kleinhofs reported on his role in attempting to coordinate the integration of molecular and physical maps as part of the ITMI (International Triticeae Mapping Initiative) re-organisation. He would like to welcome input into the best way of achieve this map integration. It is hoped that groups from around the world will become more involved and they would be strongly incouraged to make the information more freely available and easily accessible.

5. Databases and the International Database of Barley Genes and Genetic Stocks.

Udda Lundqvist provided a list of existing websites of different databases with information relevant to barley genetics. She also reported on the present status of the International Database of Barley Genes and Barley Genetic Stocks. It became stressed that about 600 different barley gene loci have been described and published in a special Volume of Barley Genetics Newsletter (BGN 26). There was discussion on the inclusion of the gene list in BGN 26 into GrainGenes database and the problems with the file conversions. Dave Matthews commented that this issue was being addressed and the problems should be resolved soon.

Udda Lundqvist also reported on the progress in developing photographic records of mutants and variant phenotypes. Images are currently in a special Nordic Gene Bank Database programme and will be downloaded to GrainGenes in the near future. Images will be updated and annotations will be added over time.

6. The maintainance of Barley Genetic Stocks.

An Hang, the curator of the Barley Genetic Stocks Collection, outlined in a letter sent to the workshop the developments at the Genetic Stocks Collection in Aberdeen, Idaho, USA, regarding the maintenance and seed increase of the Genetic Stocks. The barley translocation stocks from R.T. Ramage, the genetic male sterile stocks from E.A. Hockett, and cytogenetic stocks including primary trisomics, telocentric trisomics and various acrocentic trisomics are also included at the Collections at Aberdeen.

Back-up supplies of five to ten grams of each stock have been sent to the USDA National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado, for long-term storage.

7. Barley Genetics Newsletter.

Phil Bregitzer described in a letter sent to the workshop the usefullness of the World Wide Web and the Barley Genetics Newsletter of today. He welcomed new ideas and suggestions for speeding up the editing and publishing of the issues. There were lively discussions during the workshop. Jerry Franckowiak commented that he preferred to see one issue each year and any changes should be made as errata in the following years. Dave Matthews suggested making corrections (dated and marked) to the electronic versions as rapidly as possible.

8. Gene Symbols and Nomenclature.

Jerry Franckowiak and Brian Steffenson are continueing to serve as coordinators for the Gene symbols and Nomenclature.

Jerry Franckowiak is going to provide an uppdate on the gene lists in BGN. He commented that he was keen to cooperate with individuals and groups to develop gene-naming systems for particular classes of genes.

There was extensive discussionss on the naming of QTL and it was resolved that Jerry Franckowiak would develop a proposal for circulation and discussion. After a question by K. Sato about naming of mildew resistance loci, Jerry Franckowiak responded that the Ml system should be followed.

Takeo Konishi presented a proposal for the naming of Barley Yellow Mosaic and Barley Mild Virus resistance loci. Brian Steffenson responded and suggested to discuss this issue with the German researchers and develop a naming system.