Evolution of Plant Genome Analysis

Here, I present a brief history and technical overview of key genome analysis methods developed prior to massively parallel DNA sequencing. Disciplines discussed include cytology/cytogenetics, genome size analyses, DNA reassociation kinetics, genetic mapping, and physical mapping. These tools have been crucial in advancing our knowledge of plant genomes and have been useful in guiding and validating whole genome sequencing efforts. While some of these methods will likely fade into obscurity, others may become even more useful as focus shifts from DNA sequence to higher-order genome (chromatin) structure.