Large scale approaches to understand gene functions at a molecular level is bringing molecular genetics and breeding together in a novel way. While genomics seeks to understand function of all genes in a given organism, broad-range metabolic profiling addresses the chemical composition behind the quality traits. The availability of full genome nucleotide sequence in Arabidopsis, rice and poplar is the first step in understanding the genome's function. The crop compositional quality can now be analysed by metabolomics and proteomics platforms that are independent of the species in contrast to transcriptomics.
For plant breeding this information gives resources not available before. The new data affects not only breeding by marker-assisted selection, mutagenesis or by genetic engineering, but opens for including wide genetic variation. The challenge in future breeding for modification of qualitative traits of fruits and seeds will require working with both the genes directly controlling the biosynthetic pathway and quantitative traits.
Students will do most of the work in the preparatory phase by reading provided literature and preparing a presentation. During the course week 18.-23.2. 2007, students will follow lectures by the teachers, give their own presentation, and both listen and discuss presentations by other students in the journal club format. They will also have the opportunity to present their thesis work. Site visits to breeding and research facilities are made during the course for the students to see how genomics approaches are applied in practice.