A small grass Brachypodium may produce biofuels

Brachypodium disachyon is for advanced research on bioenergy. John Vogel and Gu Yong, two researchers from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Research Laboratory of Albania in California, will accelerate research on bioenergy through the success of genetic transformation of Brachypodium disachyon, a grass, similar to switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) generally designed for the production of bioethanol.

The researchers are the first to have successfully introduced a gene into the genome of Brachypodium disachyon through the use of the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Already in 2002, David Garvin-a plant geneticist for the LRA-was first to look at this plant.

The geneticist had deciphered its entire genome and had made a model plant to study because of its small genome (300Mbps) for fuel production. This study allowed professor Yong Gu and his team to develop the genetic map of Brachypodium disachyon, a first for this plant. This genetic map allows to precisely locating each gene of the plant. Many laboratories of vegetable genetics located in more than 20 different countries, work today with this plant.

This new method of genetic transformation to determine the functions of each gene of the plant more accurately than usual. To do this, scientists have succeeded thanks to the introduction of genes from the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, disable some functions of plant genes to better determine other lesser-known genetic functions.

This advanced genetic Brachypodium disachyon makes the plant more attractive to global research on the genetics of plants for the production of biofuels.

Acknowledgment:
- Http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/sep08/grass0908.htm
- Http://brachypodium.pw.usda.gov/
- Http://www.brachypodium.org/Bd_Accessions.html
- JP Vogel, Gu YQ, Twigg P, Lazo GR. 2006. EST sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. TAG.Theoretical and applied genetics. 113: 186-195.
- Garvin, David F Brachypodium: a new monocot model plant system emerges, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, Volume 87, Number 7, May 2007, pp. 1177-1179 (3)

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