A Snapshot of the Emerging Tomato Genome Sequence
Authors: Mueller Lukas A. , Lankhorst René Klein , Tanksley Steven D. , Giovannoni James J. , White Ruth , Vrebalov Julia , Fei Zhangjun , van Eck Joyce , Buels Robert , Mills Adri A. , Menda Naama , Tecle Isaak Y. , Bombarely Aureliano , Stack Stephen , Royer Suzanne M. , Chang Song‐Bin , Shearer Lindsay A. , Kim Byung Dong , Jo Sung‐Hwan , Hur Cheol‐Goo , Choi Doil , Li Chang‐Bao , Zhao Jiuhai , Jiang Hongling , Geng Yu , Dai Yuanyuan , Fan Huajie , Chen Jinfeng , Lu Fei , Shi Jinfeng , Sun Shouhong , Chen Jianjun , Yang Xiaohua , Lu Chen , Chen Mingsheng , Cheng Zhukuan , Li Chuanyou , Ling Hongqing , Xue Yongbiao , Wang Ying , Seymour Graham B. , Bishop Gerard J. , Bryan Glenn , Rogers Jane , Sims Sarah , Butcher Sarah , Buchan Daniel , Abbott James , Beasley Helen , Nicholson Christine , Riddle Clare , Humphray Sean , McLaren Karen , Mathur Saloni , Vyas Shailendra , Solanke Amolkumar U. , Kumar Rahul , Gupta Vikrant , Sharma Arun K. , Khurana Paramjit , Khurana Jitendra P. , Tyagi Akhilesh , Sarita  , Chowdhury Parul , Shridhar Smriti , Chattopadhyay Debasis , Pandit Awadhesh , Singh Pradeep , Kumar Ajay , Dixit Rekha , Singh Archana , Praveen Sumera , Dalal Vivek , Yadav Mahavir , Ghazi Irfan Ahmad , Gaikwad Kishor , Sharma Tilak Raj , Mohapatra Trilochan , Singh Nagendra Kumar , Szinay Dóra , de Jong Hans , Peters Sander , van Staveren Marjo , Datema Erwin , Fiers Mark W.E.J. , van Ham Roeland C.H.J. , Lindhout P. , Philippot Murielle , Frasse Pierre , Regad Farid , Zouine Mohamed , Bouzayen Mondher , Asamizu Erika , Sato Shusei , Fukuoka Hiroyuki , Tabata Satoshi , Shibata Daisuke , Botella Miguel A. , Perez‐Alonso M. , Fernandez‐Pedrosa V. , Osorio Sonia , Mico Amparo , Granell Antonio , Zhang Zhonghua , He Jun , Huang Sanwen , Du Yongchen , Qu Dongyu , Liu, Longfei , Liu Dongyuan , Wang Jun , Ye Zhibiao , Yang Wencai , Wang Guoping , Vezzi Alessandro , Todesco Sara , Valle Giorgio , Falcone Giulia , Pietrella Marco , Giuliano Giovanni , Grandillo Silvana , Traini Alessandra , D'Agostino Nunzio , Chiusano Maria Luisa , Ercolano Mara , Barone Amalia , Frusciante Luigi , Schoof Heiko , Jöcker Anika , Bruggmann Rémy , Spannagl Manuel , Mayer Klaus X.F. , Guigó Roderic , Camara Francisco , Rombauts Stephane , Fawcett Jeffrey A. , Van de Peer Yves , Knapp Sandra , Zamir Dani , Stiekema Willem 
Published: April 2009

The genome of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is being sequenced by an international consortium of 10 countries (Korea, China, the United Kingdom, India, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Spain, Italy, and the United States) as part of the larger “International Solanaceae Genome Project (SOL): Systems Approach to Diversity and Adaptation” initiative. The tomato genome sequencing project uses an ordered bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) approach to generate a high‐quality tomato euchromatic genome sequence for use as a reference genome for the Solanaceae and euasterids. Sequence is deposited at GenBank and at the SOL Genomics Network (SGN). Currently, there are around 1000 BACs finished or in progress, representing more than a third of the projected euchromatic portion of the genome. An annotation effort is also underway by the International Tomato Annotation Group. The expected number of genes in the euchromatin is ∼40,000, based on an estimate from a preliminary annotation of 11% of finished sequence. Here, we present this first snapshot of the emerging tomato genome and its annotation, a short comparison with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) sequence data, and the tools available for the researchers to exploit this new resource are also presented. In the future, whole‐genome shotgun techniques will be combined with the BAC‐by‐BAC approach to cover the entire tomato genome. The high‐quality reference euchromatic tomato sequence is expected to be near completion by 2010.