Gene sequence dataset for rice developed

U.S. biologists have assembled a large dataset of gene sequences for rice -- the largest such dataset developed for any plant species.

The analysis is expected to lead to an increased understanding of how genes work in rice, which is an essential food for much of the world's population.

Plant biologist Blake Meyers of the University of Delaware and colleagues said their research was based on gene sequences representing nearly 47 million mRNA molecules and three million small RNAs.

The study, funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is reported in the on-line issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology.

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