Data from: Transcriptome sequencing and marker development for four underutilized legumes

Premise of the study: Combating threats to food and nutrition security in the context of climate change and global population increase is one of the highest priorities of major international organizations. Hundreds of species are grown on a small scale in some of the most drought/flood-prone regions of the world and as such may harbor some of the most environmentally tolerant crops (and alleles). Methods and Results: In this study, transcriptomes were sequenced, assembled, and annotated for four underutilized legume crops. Microsatellite markers were identified in each species, as well as a conserved orthologous set of markers for cross-family phylogenetics and comparative mapping, which were ground-truthed on a panel of diverse legume germplasm. Conclusions: An understanding of these underutilized legumes will inform crop selection and breeding by allowing the investigation of genetic variation and the genetic basis of adaptive traits to be established.

研究背景：在气候变化与全球人口增长的背景下，应对粮食与营养安全面临的威胁是各大国际组织的核心要务之一。全球诸多易旱易涝地区小规模种植着数百个物种，这类作物或许蕴含着部分最具环境耐受能力的作物（及等位基因（allele））。
方法与结果：本研究对4种未充分利用的豆科作物开展了转录组（transcriptome）测序、组装与注释工作。在每个物种中均鉴定出微卫星标记（microsatellite marker），同时获得一套可用于跨科系统发育学（phylogenetics）分析与比较作图（comparative mapping）的保守同源标记集，并通过一组多样的豆科种质资源（germplasm）对该标记集进行了验证。
结论：对这些未充分利用的豆科作物的研究，可通过明确遗传变异与适应性性状的遗传基础，为作物选育提供理论参考。