Dinabandhu

isomerase (CHI) and Flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) that seem to have recruited

simultaneously and presumed to have come from duplication of genes involved

in primary metabolism (Winkel-Shirley, 2001). Ferns are known to produce

only leucoanthocyanindins such as kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. The

enzyme Dihydrofolate reductase (DFR) converts substrate dihydroflavonols to

leucoanthocyanindins though the presence of DFR in ferns is yet to be confirmed

(Rausher, 2006). Finally, in the group of higher plants, by the addition of two

more enzymes Anthocyanindin synthase (ANS) and UDPG-flavonoid glucosyl

transferase (UF3GT) which convert leucoanthocyanindin to anthocyanidins and

anthocyanidins to anthocyanins respectively, gymnosperms and angiosperms

produce anthocyanins (Rausher, 2006).

The solanaceae family comprises about 95 genera and at least 2,400 species.

Economically, this is the third most important plant taxon and most valuable

in terms of vegetable crops. It contains most variable of crop species in terms

of agricultural utility. In addition to their role as important food sources, many

solanaceous species have a role as scientific model plants such as potato for tuber

development, petunia for the analysis of anthocyanin pigments, and tomato and

tobacco for plant defense (Mueller 2005). This is the first family of flowering

plants for which comparative mapping was conducted (Tanksley et al. , 1988).

Comparative genome analysis among two important solanaceous species tomato

and potato showed that they differ in only five paracentric inversions (Tanksley

et al. , 1992), whereas the tomato and pepper genomes differ in numerous

rearrangements including several translocations as well as both pericentric and

paracentric inversions (Prince et al., 1993). Comparative genomics research is

presently gaining momentum in solanaceae due to availability of genome sequence

data for several species. Potato genome has been sequenced and it is available at

publicdomain(http://www.potatogenome.net/)andthetomatogenomesequencing

is under way and is available at http://solgenomics.net/. Within Solanum genera,

tomato and potato are closely related and both are members of phylogenetically

similar group of species. Sequence comparison between different organisms is one

of the keys for the research of orthologous genes. To understand the organization

and the evolution of genomes the whole genome comparison and synteny blocks

were used (Wu et al ., 2006). Exceptionally high level of conservation of genome

organization at the macro and micro levels makes solanaceae family a model

plant to explore the basis of phenotypic diversity and adaptation to natural and

agricultural environments (Wu et al ., 2006; Mueller 2005). The Poacea, one of the

largest families in plant kingdom comprises about 700 genera and 11,000 species

(Tzvelev 1989). Both are having highly economic importance by providing

livelihood to the whole world. Many of the grass domesticates have undergone

rather modest decrease in diversity relative to their wild relatives (Buckler et al .,

2002). In domesticated maize, the diversity is roughly 30% below compared to

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International Journal of Bioinformatics and Biological Sciences : v.2 n.3&4. Dec. 2014