Frankia Genomes

In 2003, three Frankia strains - CcI3, Ean1pec and ACN14a - entered the genome sequencing pipeline. CcI3 and Ean1pec were sequenced at the Joint Genome Institute (JGI) in a collaboration between D. Benson at the University of Connecticut and L. Tisa at the University of New Hampshire together with Dr. M. Pilar Francino at JGI. The third was initiated independently by P. Normand at the Université Lyon in collaboration with scientists from Genoscope in France and several other groups. The first description of the genomes has been published in Genome Research.

Three Frankia genomes are now complete. They represent strains from Clusters 1 and 3 that infect a wide variety of plants. A genome from a Cluster 2 strain is currently in progress but will be more difficult to complete due to its obligately symbiotic nature.