Navigation Links
New research to decode the genetic secrets of prolific potato pest
Date:11/27/2007

The full weight of a consortium of world-leading scientists including those who helped decode the entire human genome is being thrown at a parasitic worm less than 1mm long.

The potato cyst nematode (PCN), Globodera pallida, attacks potato crops all over the world and is particularly devastating in developing countries where the potato is a subsistence crop. A 1.7 million project led by the University of Leeds to fully sequence its DNA, hopes to shed light on the mechanisms that make the tiny worm such a successful parasite and lead to methods to sustainably manage this pest.

The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), draws together experts from the University of Leeds, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Rothamsted Research and SCRI, Scotlands leading centre for crop research.

Although there is partial resistance in some potato varieties, it is very difficult to breed this resistance into commercial ones - so were tackling the problem from a different perspective, says Dr Peter Urwin from Leeds Faculty of Biological Sciences. If we can find out exactly how this worm works so efficiently, it should lead to measures that will help the potato plant to withstand attack.

The worm invades the roots of the potato plant and injects a substance causing the plant to create a unique cell from which it feeds via a specialised tube. By doing this, the nematode stunts root growth and deprives the potato plant of essential nutrients, which leads to lower quality, smaller crops.

Says Dr Urwin: This tiny parasite has evolved many clever mechanisms that we hope to be able to understand more fully through this research. We have no idea what this injected substance is or how it manages to persuade the plant to create the feeding cell. In addition, its eggs can remain viable in the soil for up to twenty years, with hatching triggered by sensing chemicals released by potato ro
'/>"/>

Contact: Jo Kelly
jokelly@campuspr.co.uk
44-113-258-9880
University of Leeds  
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Research shows skeleton to be endocrine organ
2. Newly created cancer stem cells could aid breast cancer research
3. Dominant cholesterol-metabolism ideas challenged by new research
4. Researchers identify proteins involved in new neurodegenerative syndrome
5. Texas researchers and educators head for Antarctica
6. MGH researchers describe new way to identify, evolve novel enzymes
7. University of Pennsylvania researchers develop formula to gauge risk of disease clusters
8. University of Oregon researcher finds that on waters surface, nitric acid is not so tough
9. U of MN researchers discover noninvasive diagnostic tool for brain diseases
10. U of Minnesota researchers discover noninvasive diagnostic tool for brain diseases
11. Story ideas from the Journal of Lipid Research
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
New research to decode the genetic secrets of prolific potato pest
New research to decode the genetic secrets of prolific potato pest
(Date:12/3/2009)... comes to investment in energy efficient technolog...s Research Council (EPSRC) Chief Executive Dave De...engineering research has already brought us fuel c...more investment is needed to develop the capabilit...arbon emission targets by 2020 and limit the impac...
(Date:12/2/2009)...ed to secondhand cigarette smoke have an increased... if they never smoked. , Results of this study ...& Prevention , a journal of the American Associati...co focus in the December issue. , This year alo...with lung cancer; more than 159,000 will die from ...
(Date:12/2/2009)...ing and alcohol consumption before head and neck c...ture risk of death, according to published studies...t among those who continued these habits after can...seled to quit smoking; despite this, many still sm...ven after their cancer diagnosis, increasing their...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Research is vital to a cleaner, greener, low carbon future 2Secondhand smoke exposure in childhood increases lung cancer risk later in life 2Head and neck cancer survivors who use alcohol and cigarettes have increased death risk 2The EU must allocate fewer emission allowances and stop making free allocations 10134 1The EU must allocate fewer emission allowances and stop making free allocations 10134 2The EU must allocate fewer emission allowances and stop making free allocations 10134 3More Women Having Other Breast Removed 58408 1More Women Having Other Breast Removed 58408 2More Women Having Other Breast Removed 58408 3Scientists Discover How Chemo Can Make Women Infertile 58404 1Scientists Discover How Chemo Can Make Women Infertile 58404 2Scientists Discover How Chemo Can Make Women Infertile 58404 3
...ecent findings published in the journal of Clinica...ant symptom reduction of chronic venous insufficie...nogenol® (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant ex...ee. Over 35 years of research on Pycnogenol® demo... flow and strengthen venous walls. Published resu...
...early half of the people responding to an online s... of their life rather than be fat, according to a ...ty at Yale. , The 4,000 respondents in varying num...er walk away from their marriage, give up the poss...e alcoholic rather than be obese. Five percent and...
...esearch by Warwick Medical School at the Universit...ssociated with an almost a two-fold increased risk...arly results of a study by Professor Francesco Cap...cal School were presented to the International AC2...rsity of Warwick. , The research reviewed curren...
Other Biology News:Study shows pine bark naturally decreases severe chronic venous insufficiency 2Study shows pine bark naturally decreases severe chronic venous insufficiency 3Some people would give life or limb not to be fat 2Sleep deprivation doubles risks of obesity in both children and adults 2
(Date:12/2/2009)...wswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 600 medical research ... today convened to explore novel development appro...ugural Partnering for Cures meeting. ,, Fas...en Institute, convened Partnering for Cures to f...rn a scientific discovery into an accessible thera...
(Date:12/2/2009)...erlands, December 2 Pepscan Holdin...focusing on protein mimicking,technology for the g...hat it,has appointed Wim E.M. Mol, Ph.D. as new Ch...responsible for all of Pepscans corporate function...on of the company. He brings to,Pepscan more than ...
(Date:12/2/2009)...Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Simcere Pharmaceutical..., a leading pharmaceutical company,specializing in...branded,generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals in... been included in China,s National Drug Reimbursem...istry of Human Resources and Social,Security on No...
(Date:12/1/2009)... Solomon announced that he has joined Carolina Eye...bsite at www.DrKerrySolomon.com , which was devel...a proven LASIK, lens implant, and cataract surgery... his substantial contributions to improving vision...SIK Surgeons, which screens LASIK surgeons based u...
Breaking Biology Technology:Medical Research Leaders Explore Novel Strategies to Expedite the Search for Cures 2Dutch Biotech Company Pepscan Appoints New CEO 2Simcere Announces 105 Drugs Included in China's National Drug Reimbursement List 2Simcere Announces 105 Drugs Included in China's National Drug Reimbursement List 3Charleston LASIK and Cataract Expert Dr. Kerry Solomon Opens New Practice and Launches DrKerrySolomon.com 2Charleston LASIK and Cataract Expert Dr. Kerry Solomon Opens New Practice and Launches DrKerrySolomon.com 3Charleston LASIK and Cataract Expert Dr. Kerry Solomon Opens New Practice and Launches DrKerrySolomon.com 4Charleston LASIK and Cataract Expert Dr. Kerry Solomon Opens New Practice and Launches DrKerrySolomon.com 5Charleston LASIK and Cataract Expert Dr. Kerry Solomon Opens New Practice and Launches DrKerrySolomon.com 6
...l , a Georgia-based maker of neural stem cell kits... can raise sufficient amounts of angel capital, a ...out of the University of Georgia in Athens in 20...e of Wisconsin and from Wisconsin Investment Part...ut it will need more backing from angel investors ...
... the well-attended BICSI Conference . While I was...data centers to get a first-hand view of its servi...ng some online research, and I figured I would hav...write another article because data centers have ...ers have become very important in the last couple ...
... expenses offset strong quarterly revenue as Soni...dia communications technology, reported a net loss...t quarter of fiscal year 2007. , ,The quarterly n...r 5 cents per share net loss in the same quarter o...sonally slow period, even though it reported reven...
Other Biology Technology:Wisconsin tries to woo another stem cell company 2Wisconsin tries to woo another stem cell company 3Data centers: Blowing smoke and raising red flags 2Data centers: Blowing smoke and raising red flags 3Data centers: Blowing smoke and raising red flags 4Data centers: Blowing smoke and raising red flags 5Data centers: Blowing smoke and raising red flags 6
Rabbit Anti-Mi-2 Polyclonal Antibody, Unconjugated from Upstate
...cope V is a fully integrated system for fluoresce...ing that deliver excellent quality microarray imag...canner that is based on patented confocal laser im...and spatial resolution. The DNAscope V images two ...
Rabbit Anti-Retinoic Acid Receptor beta 2 Polyclonal Antibody, Unconjugated from Abcam
Goat Anti-Human Synaptogyrin 2 Polyclonal Antibody, Unconjugated from Abcam
Biology Products: