Comparing genomes: limitations

Although the level of synteny in the grasses has facilitated research in these crops, there are limits to the extent of synteny between more distantly related species.

Little conservation of gene order exists between Arabidopsis and maize, even though approximately 90% of maize proteins have a homolog in Arabidopsis (Brendel et al. 2002).

Therefore sequencing more plant genomes will be not only helpful but necessary.