Dr. Deborah Samac

These researchers are using MSI resources for several research projects:

• Assembling and annotating genome sequences of alfalfa. This uses graphical mapping and analysis of Illumina RNA-seq and PacBio isoSeq data. The sequences of 10 genomes will be compared to identify shared and unique genes as well as to characeterize disease resistance genes across the genomes.
• Analyzing Illumina MySeq data from sequencing amplicons from bacterial, fungal, and oomycete DNA isolated from rhizosphere soil and alfalfa roots from locations where alfalfa stand establishment has been poor. The goal is to analyze the communities from these locations to better identify pathogens and deploy resistant cultivars.
• Investigating genes expressed in host plants infected with pathogens, and the genes expressed in pathogens during infection. This work uses cultivated wild rice, alfalfa, and Medicago truncatula as the host plants and a range of bacterial, fungal and oomycete pathogens.