V0CABULARIES FOR COMPARATIVE MAPPING OF GENE EXPRESSION: TRAITS, PHENOTYPES, MORE

¹ USDA-ARS Curtis Hall University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211

² Curtis Hall Department of Agronomy, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211

Sequence similarities provide relatively direct access to inter- and intra-species genome comparisons. Comparative mapping is another strategy to discover gene functionality and relies on the substantially similar ordering of sets of genes and probed sites on chromosomal regions of closely related species, or within a species where there an ancient diploidization. Imagine being able to query any of several genome-specific databases for all mapped sites that affect a phenotype, for example, drought tolerance, and include any information about sequences, orthology and the intersection with a metabolic pathway. The current execution of this sort of query, with detailed examples taken from both genome-specific and germplasm databases will be explored. Work in progress by the Missouri Maize Project towards developing structured, controlled vocabularies for traits, and phenotypic variances will be presented along with the strategies for harmonizing with other groups engaged in similar activities.