PREMISE OF THE STUDY Archaeological and genetic analyses of seed-propagated annual crops have greatly advanced our understanding of plant domestication and evolution. Comparatively little is known about perennial plant domestication, a relevant topic for understanding how genes and genomes evolve in long-lived species, and how perennials respond to selection pressures operating on a relatively ...

The history of rice domestication has long been a subject of debate. Recently obtained genetic evidence provides new insights into this complex story. Genome-wide studies of variation demonstrate that the two varietal groups in Oryza sativa (indica and japonica) arose from genetically distinct gene pools within a common wild ancestor, Oryza rufipogon, suggesting multiple domestications of O. sa...

Following first recovery of a bacterium by cultural methods there is a period of laboratory manipulation designed to provide a finished product known as a "pure culture." This technical aspect of bacteriology has for its object the production of a bacterial growth, all organisms of which may be thought of as descended from a single parent cell. It is still the belief of many that such a pure cu...

The domestication process has altered the behaviour of the chicken in different ways. It is mainly the thresholds that have been affected more than the actual behaviour repertoire. The selection pressure in captivity can be either active or passive depending on the environment and the interference by human. An active selection on fear of human seems to change the behaviour according to the dome...

Chinese domestic pigs have experienced strong artificial selection for thousands of years. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the selection-causing phenotypic changes in Chinese domestic pigs are still largely unknown. Here we used whole-genome resequencing data of 54 pigs from 9 Chinese diverse breeds and 16 wild boars from 7 localities across China to identify genes that show eviden...

The domestication of cattle from the now-extinct wild aurochs (Bos primigenius) involved selection for physiological and behavioral traits, with underlying genetic factors that remain largely unknown. Non-coding microRNAs have emerged as key regulators of the spatio-temporal expression of target genes controlling mammalian growth and development, including in livestock species. During the domes...

To accomplish the rapid start-up and stable operation of biogas digesters, an efficient inoculum is required. To obtain such an inoculum for food waste anaerobic digestion, we domesticated dairy manure anaerobic digestion residue by adding food waste every day. After 36 days, the pH and biogas yield stabilized signifying the completion of domestication. During domestication, the microbial commu...

Seed size and seed weight are major quality attributes and important determinants of yield that have been strongly selected for during crop domestication. Limited information is available about the genetic control and genes associated with seed size and weight in sorghum. This study identified sorghum orthologs of genes with proven effects on seed size and weight in other plant species and sear...