Characterization f soybean - - JapOnleus genome based on synteny analysis with Lotus

To apply genomic information of the model legume Lotus japonicus to soybean, the characteristics o'f the soybean genome in reference to the genome ofL. ,J'aponicus were investigated. Macrosynteny between soybean and L. J'qponicus was analyzed by mapping the same cDNA elones on the maps ofboth species by the RFLP method, and by identifying the positions of ortholos,s on the L. J'aponicus map fbr cDNA markers located on the soybean map. Relativety large synteny blocks were observed between a few linkage groups of L. ]'cu)onicus and soybean. The major parts of the soybean linkage groups consisted of mosaics of smaller segments syntenic with the L. J'aponicus genome. The presence of many homoeologous regions on different soybean linkage groups was suggested from the distribution of paralogs and ortho]ogs. To investigate he microsynteny between soybean and L. y'aponicus, three soybean BAC clones were selected fbr the Gm?VFRla, GmlV[FRIb and IVts1 genes mapped on the macrosyntenic regions of the linkage groups Dlb, B2 and H, respectively. We revea]ed a significantly high leyel o'f collinearity between these BAC clones and corresponding hornologous genomic regions ofL. .ioponicus. The infbrmat{on of L. J'oponicus could be used fbr the development ofDNA markers, map-based cloning and assembling process ofgenome sequencing in soybean.