32,000 genes in a carrot

Scientists who unlocked the full genome sequence of the carrot say the information can be used to help breeders improve the nutritional quality of carrots and a range of other crops.

The genome sequence, reported in a paper published in Nature Genetics, represents one of the most complete vegetable genome assemblies known to date. It sheds light on the evolutionary origin of the carrot, its distinctive orange colour and its nutritious value.

The researchers assembled a high-quality reference genome using the DNA from one carrot, identifying 32,113 genes, with 10,530 genes unique to the carrot. They then sequenced 35 different carrot specimens and subspecies, both wild and cultivated, to understand domestication patterns. They compared the carrot sequence to other plant genomes and determined when carrots diverged from grape, kiwi and tomato. Finally, they found a gene responsible for the uncommonly high accumulation of beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor, in the carrot root.