About Us

The Arizona Genomics Institute (AGI) was formed in May 2002 when Dr. Rod Wing moved his lab from Clemson University to the University of Arizona, Tucson. The primary focus of AGI is in the area of structural, evolutionary and functional genomics of crop plants. AGI is divided into 5 Centers each lead by a Center Leader and a senior Manager (BAC Library Construction Center, BAC/EST Resource Center, Sequencing & Physical Mapping Center [including: production sequencing and fingerprinting, and sequence finishing], Bioinformatics Center and the Evolutionary and Functional Genomics Center. AGI recently moved to the brand new Thomas W. Keating Bioresearch Building on the northeast part of campus near the Medical School. AGI currently employees about 40 hard working scientists and we are funded primarily by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the United States Department of Agriculture Cooperative State, Education and Extension Service (USDA-CSREES) and the Bud Antle Endowed Chair in Plant Molecular Genetics.

Major accomplishments include:

1. Sequencing the short arms of rice chromosomes 10 and 3 as part of the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project. The finished rice genome sequence was published in August 2005.
2. Generation of a sequence ready map to sequence the maize genome. This map serves as the framework to sequence the maize genome.
3. The Oryza Map Alignment Project - the objective of which is to create a genome level closed experimental system for the genus Oryza. OMAP is AGI's major biology project.
4. Publications: A list of all our publications can be found as this link.

Current Major Projects at AGI:

1. The Oryza Map Alignment Project (NSF) - www.OMAP.org, www.gramene.org, NSF Award Abstract.
2. The Maize Genome Sequencing Project (NSF) - www.maizesequence.org, NSF Award Abstract.
3. The Maize Full Length cDNA Sequencing Project (NSF) - www.maizecdna.org/, NSF Award Abstract.
4. Sequencing of Chromosome 3 Short Arms from the AA, BB, CC, BBCC Genomes of the Wild Relatives of Rice for Comparative Functional and Evolutionary Analysis (NSF) - NSF Award Abstract.
5. Evolutionary Genomics of a Rice Centromere (NSF) - NSF Award Abstract.
6. SoyMAP, an Integrated Map of Soybean for Resolution and Dissection of Multiple Genome Duplication Events (NSF) - NSF Award Abstract.
7. Genome Evolution in Diploid and Polyploid Cotton (NSF) - NSF Award Abstract.

Services

BAC Library Construction:
AGI is dedicated to providing high-quality genomic resources and services to the research community. Our laboratory was the first lab in the world to construct a plant BAC library in 1994 and since that time we have constructed the majority of plant BAC libraries used in the world today. We continue to build BAC libraries for our own research as well as BAC libraries for other researchers on a collaborative or contract basis.

BAC/EST Resource Center:
All AGI BAC libraries are archived in our Resource Center for distribution to the community. The Resource Center distributes single clones, high density hybridization filters and whole arrayed libraries (BAC and cDNA) on a cost recovery basis. Arrangements can also be made for the Resource Center to archive and distribute your libraries.

Sequencing and Physical Mapping:
Once BAC libraries are constructed they provide the basis for positional cloning, the construction of whole genome physical maps and whole genome sequencing. AGI currently runs 6 ABI3730xl Automated DNA Sequencers, 1 Roche GSFLX Genome Sequencing System and 1 Illumina Genome Analyzer. These instruments are used primarily for our own research projects; however we do provide sequencing, finishing and fingerprinting services on a collaborative basis.