Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Biological Sciences
Department of Genetics
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
In 2007, the United States Department of Energy announced the funding of a project to sequence the genome of Eucalyptus grandis, a fast-growing forest plantation tree species, which is considered a potential bioenergy crop. It will only be the second forest tree genome to be sequenced after that of the poplar tree. Prof Zander Myburg of the Department of Genetics is the principle investigator and the University of Pretoria is the lead partner organisation for this international project. The eucalyptus genome project team recently announced that it has completed 77% (448 million bases) of the expected genome (580 million bases) and that the genome will be completed by July 2009. In parallel, the International Eucalyptus Genome Network, a worldwide network of more than 130 scientists, is developing a series of genomic resources (genome libraries, expressed gene libraries, genetic maps and DNA markers) that will allow researchers to utilise the genome sequence for biological research and innovation. In 2008, the DST awarded a strategic grant of R1.5 million to the University to support its leadership role in the eucalyptus genome project and to fast-track local eucalyptus genomics projects. Prof Myburg and his research team, in collaboration with the University’s Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Unit, have embarked on a project to sequence the transcriptome of a South African eucalypt plantation tree to obtain a complete catalogue of expressed genes for this tree and to discover thousands of DNA markers that can be used for the molecular breeding of eucalypt trees in South Africa
Contact person: Prof AA Myburg.
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