The role of omics in improving the orphan crop tef
Authors: Lorena Y. Ramírez Gonzales, Gina Cannarozzi, Lea Jäggi, Kebebew Assefa, Solomon Chanyalew, Matteo Dell’Acqua, Zerihun Tadele
Journal: Trends in Genetics (2024)

Tef research has little benefited from omics due to neglect of the crop by the global scientific community. However, the few utilized tools showed promising results. Chromosome-scale assembly of the genome reveals the evolution of tef. The whole-genome sequencing of drought-resurrecting Eragrostis nindensis and desiccation-sensitive Eragrostis curvula shows genes that play key roles in drought responses. A few studies using omics tools have revealed differentially expressed genes, proteins, and metabolites in tef plants exposed to drought. Molecular markers have deciphered diversity in tef germplasm collected from diverse agroecologies in Ethiopia. The application of targeting induced local lesions in genomes resulted in mutant tef lines with a semidwarf stature, which were later bred to locally adapted and high-yielding varieties. Genome editing using 'Green Revolution' genes resulted in a semidwarf and lodging-tolerant tef plant. Tef or teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop indigenous to the Horn of Africa, where it is a staple food for a large population. The popularity of tef arises from its resilience to environmental stresses and its nutritional value. For many years, tef has been considered an orphan crop, but recent research initiatives from across the globe are helping to unravel its undisclosed potential. Advanced omics tools and techniques have been directed toward the exploration of tef's diversity with the aim of increasing its productivity. In this review, we report on the most recent advances in tef omics that brought the crop into the spotlight of international research. Tef or teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop indigenous to the Horn of Africa, where it is a staple food for a large population. The popularity of tef arises from its resilience to environmental stresses and its nutritional value. For many years, tef has been considered an orphan crop, but recent research initiatives from across the globe are helping to unravel its undisclosed potential. Advanced omics tools and techniques have been directed toward the exploration of tef's diversity with the aim of increasing its productivity. In this review, we report on the most recent advances in tef omics that brought the crop into the spotlight of international research. an organism with four sets of chromosomes resulting from the hybridization of two different species. systematic study of the similarities and differences in gene content and structure of whole genomes. a group of plant-specific TFs that play important roles in plant growth, development, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. the study of how cells control gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. the study of how genes and intergenic regions of the genome contribute to different biological processes. a short phrase that is typically used to represent the individual components of ontologies, which unify the representation of gene and gene product attributes across all species. the total amount of DNA contained in one copy of a single complete genome. identifies associations between genetic markers called SNPs and a phenotype of interest and traits. a field of biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. duplicated chromosomes that are derived from different parental species and are related by ancestry. the study of the complete mineral nutrient and trace elemental composition of a plant species. the identification and quantification of small molecules present in biological systems. the study of environmental microbial communities using a suite of genomic tools to directly access their genetic content. small, single-stranded, noncoding RNA molecules containing 21–23 nucleotides. integrating the analysis of multiple omics datasets. genes that evolve from a common ancestral gene by speciation and have usually retained a similar function in different species. a collection of all DNA sequences of a species that contains sequences shared by all individuals (core genome) and is also able to display sequence information unique to each individual (variable genome). the study of an overall organism and how the characteristics or traits of an organism that we can see (its phenotype) fits with the information we know about its genes (genomics) and proteins (proteomics). a diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among organisms. the genome of a plastid, which is extensively used in phylogenetic analyses. a study of protein properties to obtain a global view of cellular processes at the protein level. a region of DNA associated with a specific phenotype or trait that varies within a population. an organism with chromosomes that incorporate an essentially permanent set of recombination events between chromosomes inherited from two or more inbred strains. a type of genetic component that copies and pastes itself into various genomic locations by converting RNA back into DNA. synonym, microsatellites; variable numbers of tandem repeats that constitute genomic repetitive regions. set of methods for the sequencing of transcriptomes of single cells. a reverse-genetics approach where traditional chemical mutagenesis is followed by high-throughput to facilitate screening for point mutations. proteins that can bind to specific DNA sequences to control transcription. the study of the complete set of RNA transcripts, both coding and noncoding, expressed in a given entity such as a cell, tissue, or organism. plant-specific TF family. TF that binds DNA.