About this Research Topic
The advent of genomics has tremendously aided crop evolution research. Multi-omics analysis (e.g. genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, epitranscriptomics) provides an unbiased perspective on the genetic basis of crop evolution and is likely to lead to the identification of agronomically significant genes. In crops, large-scale analyses of multi-omics datasets will continue to be applied for (i) interpretations of genome/epigenome evolution reflecting the process of gene duplication/polyploidy, retention, divergence and gene expression; (ii) discovery of new gene functions, new traits and economically important genotypes of plants/crops.
Significant advances in genome and epigenome evolution have been made in recent years. This Research Topic aims to present new discoveries in genome, epigenome and gene family or pathway evolution at all levels, including populations, taxonomic, functional and phenotypic organizations through large-scale data analyses. Contributions presenting advances in methods, resources, and theories for these purposes will also be considered.
We welcome submissions of original research papers, reviews, and methods, including (but not limited to) research on the following sub-themes:
1.Evolution of genome and epigenome in relation to gene expression or gene regulation in crops.
2.Divergence and conservation of genomes and epigenomes during crop evolution.
3.Evolutionary history of gene families and pathways; tracing the evolutionary mechanisms of protein functions and predicting structure-function relationships; exploring the origin of new gene families or novel functions.
4.Establish a causal relationship between genome size, genome duplication/polyploidy, and the occurrence of important evolutionary innovations.
5.Genotype-phenotype relationships (e.g., the evolution of development, behavioral evolution, and evolution of novel traits).
6.Large-scale analyses of genome, epigenome, and additional -omics datasets to study evolution and gene function, especially those with potential utility for biotechnology and agriculture.
7.Hypothesis-testing in the evolution of crop genomes and epigenomes.
Disclaimer
We specifically welcome hypothesis-driven submissions and descriptive studies lacking significant biological advances would be rejected without peer review.
Keywords: Multi-omics, Crop, Genome, Epigenome, Evolution, Epigenomics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.