A large international research team has decoded the genome of the notorious organism that triggered the Irish potato famine in the mid-19th century and now threatens this season's tomato and potato crops across much of the US.
Published in the September 9 online issue of the journal Nature, the study reveals that the organism boasts an unusually large genome size more than twice that of closely related species and an extraordinary genome structure, which together appear to enable the rapid evolution of genes, particularly those involved in plant infection. These data expose an unusual mechanism that enables the pathogen to outsmart its plant hosts and may help researchers unlock new ways to control it.
"This pathogen has an exquisite ability to adapt and change, and that's what makes it so dangerous," said senior author Chad Nusbaum, co-director of the Genome Sequencing and Analysis Program at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. "We now have a comprehensive view of its genome, revealing the unusual properties that drive its remarkable adaptability. Hopefully, this knowledge can foster novel approaches to diagnose and respond to outbreaks."
"Our findings suggest a 'two-speed' genome, meaning that different parts of the genome are evolving at different rates," said co-lead author Sophien Kamoun, head of the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, UK. "Future sequencing of additional strains and close relatives of this pathogen will help test this hypothesis and could transform our understanding of how it adapts to immune plants."
The potato famine that gripped Europe, particularly Ireland, in the mid 1800's was the work of an insidious organism known as Phytophthora infestans. Long considered a fungus, it is now known to be a member of the oomycetes or "water molds," which are more closely related to the malaria parasite than to fungi. P. infestans thrives in cool, wet weather, and can infect potatoes, toma
'/>"/>
| Contact: Nicole Davis ndavis@broadinstitute.org 617-714-7152 Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. UC Riverside research on barley genome gets boost from $1 million USDA grant
2. Genomes reveal bacterial lifestyles: Research
3. Zoo volunteers help explain mysteries of the genome
4. Largest ever Alzheimers genome study unveils dementia mysteries
5. Counting duplicated genome segments now possible
6. Faster, cheaper way to find disease genes in human genome passes initial test
7. Genome duplication responsible for more plant species than previously thought
8. After dinosaurs, mammals rise but their genomes get smaller
9. Springer to collaborate with the Human Genome Organization
10. New national genome center launched
11. CSHL scientists harness logic of Sudoku math puzzle to vastly enhance genome-sequencing capability
| Copyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |