Edward H. Coe
Professor Emeritus
Division of Plant Science and Technology
E-mail: coee at missouri dot edu
Office phone: 573-882-2768
Our group carried out a large plant genome project, "Comprehensive Genetic, Physical, and Database Resources for Maize," supported by the National Science Foundation. This Maize Mapping Project was begun in 1998. The team produced high-resolution genetic maps with many new molecular markers, and cross-linked the genetic maps to physical maps developed by fingerprinting and molecular markers. Large numbers of new markers have been developed and have been placed on a genetic map whose resolution is 0.05 centiMorgans, equivalent to about 70,000 base pairs on average. Three BAC libraries, totaling over 27X deep, have been made available for research. The BACs are fingerprinted and are anchored with molecular markers. This well-supported, integrated map is the base upon which sequencing of the maize genome, now in progress, can be done.
I continue to focus on mapping mutants of maize. Genetic analysis of variants and mutant expressions, joined with mapping of expressed sequences, reveals their candidacy for biochemically defined functions. Cellular strategies in growth and development can be tested that include control of what function occurs when, where, under which condition, and to what extent, a function occurs. Each of these contributes valuable knowledge on the biology and the productivity of this plant and of other cereals. In mutants, failure of the right event at the right time is sometimes lethal, sometimes simply abnormal, sometimes striking and intensely informative.
The Maize Genome Database, which was designed and assembled in this laboratory, is an ongoing, comprehensive source of information on the genetics and molecular biology of maize. This database, a service of USDA/ARS, is currently conducted cooperatively by Iowa State University and in the University of Missouri-Columbia. It depends upon, draws together, and links to data, information, and other web sites from national and international maize projects and publications. Included are gene descriptions, maps, genomic sequences, and a wide range of images of maize seedlings, plants, tassels, ears, kernels, and mutants that affect them.
Wei F, Zhang J, Zhou S, He R, Schaeffer M, Collura K, Kudrna D, Faga BP, Wissotski M, Golser W, Rock SM, Graves TA, Fulton RS, Coe E, Schnable PS, Schwartz DC, Ware D, Clifton SW, Wilson RK and Wing RA. The physical and genetic framework of the maize B73 genome. PLoS Genetics 2009;5(11): art. no. e1000715.
Yim YS, Moak P, Sanchez-Villeda H, Musket TA, Close P, Klein PE, Mullet JE, McMullen MD, Fang Z, Schaeffer ML, Gardiner JM, Coe Jr EH and Davis GL. A BAC pooling strategy combined with PCR-based screenings in a large, highly repetitive genome enables integration of the maize genetic and physical maps. BMC Genomics 2007;8:art. no. 47.
Wei F, Coe E, Nelson W, Bharti AK, Engler F, Butler E, Kim H, Goicoechea JL, Chen M, Lee S, Fuks G, Sanchez-Villeda H, Schroeder S, Fang Z, McMullen M, Davis G, Bowers JE, Paterson AH, Schaeffer M, Gardiner J, Cone K, Messing J, Soderlund C and Wing RA. Physical and genetic structure of the maize genome reflects its complex evolutionary history. PLoS Genetics 2007;3(7):e123.
Shyu CR, Harnsomburana J, Green J, Barb AS, Kazic T, Schaeffer M and Coe E. Searching and mining visually observed phenotypes of maize mutants. Journal of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology 2007;5(6):1193-1213.
Shyu CR, Green JM, Lun DPK, Kazic T, Schaeffer M and Coe E. Image analysis for mapping immeasurable phenotypes in maize. IEEE Signal Processing Magazine 2007;24(3):116-119.
Vroh Bi I, McMullen MD, Sanchez-Villeda H, Schroeder S, Gardiner J, Polacco M, Soderlund C, Wing R, Fang Z and Coe Jr EH. Single nucleotide polymorphisms and insertion-deletions for genetic markers and anchoring the maize fingerprint contig physical map. Crop Science 2006;46(1):12-21.
Schaeffer M, Byrne P and Coe Jr EH. Consensus quantitative trait maps in maize: A database strategy. Maydica 2006;51(2):357-367.
Coe EH, Schaeffer ML. (2006) Uncaging mutants: moving from menageries to menages. Maydica 51:263-267.
Coe EH, Schaeffer ML. (2005) Genetic, physical, maps, and database resources for maize. Maydica 50:285-303.
Auger DL, Gray A, Ream T, Kato A, Coe Jr E, Birchler J. (2005) Nonadditive gene expression in diploid and triploid hybrids of maize. Genetics 169:389-397.
Coe E, Kass LB. (2005) Proof of physical exchange of genes on the chromosomes. PNAS 102:6641-6646.
Kass LB, Bonneuil C, Coe Jr EH. (2005) Cornfests, cornfabs and cooperation: the origins and beginnings of the maize genetics cooperation news letter. Genetics 169:1787-1797.
Gardiner J, Schroeder S, Polacco M, Sanchez-Villeda H, Fang Z, Morgante M, Landewe T, Fengler K, Useche F, Hanafey M, Tingey S, Chou H, Wing R, Soderlund C, Coe E. (2004) Anchoring 9371 maize EST unigenes to the BAC contig map by two-dimensional overgo hybridization. Plant Physiol 134:1317-1326 .
McMullen M, Kross H, Snook ME, Cortes-Cruz M, Houchins K, Musket T, Coe E Jr. (2004) Salmon silk genes contribute to the elucidation of the flavone pathway in maize (Zea mays L.). J Hered 95:225-233.
Carson C, Robertson J, Coe E. (2004) High-Volume Mapping of Maize Mutants With Simple Sequence Repeat Markers. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 22: 131–143.