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[交流] Marijuana Sequenced (转)

Marijuana Sequenced
11/02/2011 Rachelle Dragani
High-throughput sequencing of a psychoactive strain of Cannabis sativa may lead to improved therapeutics.

A team of Canadian scientists have sequenced the genome and transcriptome of the Cannabis sativa, which produces psychoactive chemical compounds that are used for recreational and medicinal purposes.

Led by Jon Page from the National Research Council Canada and Timothy Hughes from the University of Toronto, the team sequenced the genome and transcriptome of the potent Cannabis strain called Purple Kush. After comparing the Purple Kush genome with Cannabis strains used for the production of hemp, the researchers found that the enzyme that catalyses the synthesis of the primary psychoactive compound ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is turned on only in the Purple Kush strain. This suggests that the domestication and breeding of marijuana plants for drug and medicinal purposes has resulted in the activation of the THCA synthesis pathway.

A team of Canadian scientists have sequenced the genome and transcriptome of the Cannabis sativa, which produces psychoactive chemical compounds that are used for recreational and medicinal purposes. Source: Wikmedia Commons

“It has a lot to offer humanity. The criminal side can’t be ignored, but with more knowledge – and this genome is knowledge – maybe it’s an opportunity to see this can really have a lot of positive impact worldwide,” said Page.

With a greater understanding of the genome and transcriptome, researchers hope that will enable them to tailor the production of complex cannabinoids that target specific diseases. Furthermore, law enforcement officers could use the sequenced genome to develop DNA barcoding techniques to trace a seized stash and pinpoint illegal operations.

For years, the chemical synthesis pathways of Cannabis has puzzled scientists. While some strains produce the psychoactive THCA, others produce the non-psychoactive compound cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). The THCA-producing strains are called marijuana; the CBDA-producing strains are called hemp.

By sequencing hemp genomes, researchers hope to help manufacturers create an easier processing system to use the hemp variation of Cannabis to produce high-quality fiber for use in car parts and various other products.

In their study, the Canadian team used the Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx and Hi-Seq platforms to sequence the genome and transcriptome of the Purple Kush. For the de novo assembly of the genome, the researchers used assembly program SOAPdenovo; for the transcriptome assembly, they used ABySS and Inchworm.

Five years ago, the research wouldn’t have been possible, when genome sequencing was a slower and more expensive process. At that time, a paper like this could have easily contained a hundred international collaborators.

“It’s really cool that we can see a return to labs or small groups of labs being able to tackle the big picture. It’s sort of a democratization, attainable on a smaller scale. I think that’s going to lead to lots and lots of unusual organisms being sequenced, things we wouldn’t have even thought possible. That can lead to a lot of discovery,” said Page.

The complete paper, “The draft genome and transcriptome of Cannabis sativa,” was published October 20, 2011, online at Genome Biology.

Keywords: marijuana sequencing plant biology

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