The Jiménez-Gómez group focuses on the application of modern genetic and bioinformatic techniques to study plant natural variation, evolution and domestication. Our models to carry out this research are Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress).

Gene by gene approach

Our lab is interested in identifying the genes that have been important for plant natural adaptation and domestication. We believe that these genes are the key to achieve food security in the future. Our typical workflow integrates protocols in genetics (QTL analysis, BSA, high throughput phenotyping, etc.) and bioinformatics (Genome sequencing, RNA-seq, comparative genomics, etc.).

With these approaches we are currently focusing on genes that have been important for modification of flowering time or circadian rhythms during tomato domestication or adaptation of stress responses in Arabidopsis.

Genome-wide approach

We want to understand how evolution is shaping genomes. For this, we develop bioinformatic methods based on the new sequencing technologies that allow us to compare different accessions and species. Among these methods, we have workflows to measure allele specific expression in hybrids, detect differential alternative splicing or calculate phylogenies and genome-wide signatures of selection.

Examples of research in the lab using these approaches include the identification of expression QTLs in Arabidopsis and tomato, or the characterisation of transposable elements along tomato domestication.

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