Scientists have decoded the genome of eucalyptus

    




Australian scientists from several universities, in collaboration with colleagues from 9 countries, for the first time have deciphered the genetic code of the eucalyptus.

The resulting work gives a complete picture of the formation of the complex oils produced by these giants, which can help in the preservation of koalas, minimize the damage of pests on the plantations, and maybe lead to the creation of jet fuel. The efforts in deciphering the sequence of the genome of a eucalypt started over a decade ago. Dr Carsten Kulheim from the Australian national University said, "the Genetic code will help us understand the basis of the types of Australian ecosystems and how it affects other species, from fungi to koalas".

Wide genetic variability within each of the 700 species of eucalyptus does not allow scientists to explain differences between individual trees. For example, why one tree produces leaves koalas find irresistible while another from the same species, not like the Aussies but it repels pests much better.

The sequence consists of 640 million base pairs of DNA containing more than 36,000 genes. The researchers identified 113 genes responsible for the synthesis of terpenes, aromatic essential oil of eucalyptus.

Source: nauka24news.ru/