Award details

Characterisation and development of gene silencing in Phytophthora infestans for high-throughput determination of gene function

Reference	BB/C513977/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Pieter van West
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Anna Avrova, Dr Stephen Whisson
Institution	University of Aberdeen
Department	School of Medical Sciences
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	190,871
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/04/2005
End date	30/09/2008
Duration	42 months

Abstract

Transcriptional gene silencing in P. infestans has proved to be an effective tool for determining gene function, although it has been of relatively low-throughput to date. Our recent demonstration that transient RNA interference can be used to determine the importance of specific genes in the infection process will lead to a greatly accelerated understanding of those genes that are required for a successful late blight infection of potato. This proposal seeks to first understand the two forms of gene silencing in P. infestans: transcriptional and RNA interference (post-transcriptional). We will examine this by determining the nature of the gene silencing signal, and by identifying the genes involved in triggering and maintaining the silenced state. The second part of our proposal focuses on optimisation, development and exploitation of RNAi in a high-throughput format. Successful infection of potato by P. infestans, from preinfection stages through to clonal replication, requires the action of many hundreds of genes. We will use our high-throughput RNAi format to phenotypically characterise approximately 100 genes involved in the formation of preinfective stages and the establishment of host plant infection. Genes that are shown to be important in these processes will be studied further at the genomic, transcriptional and protein level by using our respective expertise and resources in these areas.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	Crop Science, Microbiology, Plant Science, Technology and Methods Development
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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