

Background
The wheat genome is large and complex, and while significant progress has been made in exploring it, a complete high-quality reference sequence has not yet been achieved. Reaching this goal would help identify important genes related to traits like disease resistance, quality, and yield. Many pan-genome projects sequencing wheat genomes are underway to address this gap, but wheat cultivars from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region are still missing in the Wheat Pan Genome. My research aims to address this gap by sequencing and assembling the genome of a PNW wheat cultivar. This will help create a complete representation of PNW cultivars within the Wheat Pan-genome, identify unique genetic variations, and make the data available through a Practical Haplotype Graph.
Objectives
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To unravel the intricate genetic composition of PNW wheat cultivars, Madsen and Pritchett, through comprehensive genomic analyses.
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To establish a strong representation of the PNW region within the Wheat Pan-Genome.
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To compare genome assemblies from various regions in the United States and worldwide to better understand genetic diversity and adaptations.
Ongoing Work
Both cultivars, Madsen and Pritchett, were sequenced using the PacBio Revio platform in Circular Consensus Sequencing (CCS) mode, with three SMRT cells per cultivar and 30 movie hours each. We have now completed genome assembly and gene annotation and are currently analyzing structural variants.
Expected Outcomes
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Inclusion of PNW cultivars into Wheat Pan Genome
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Better Understanding of wheat genetics
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Identification of novel genetic variation specific to PNW