Abstract Title
The Potential Role of Solanum sisymbriifolium Putative Cystatin-Like Protein in Plant Defense to Globodera pallida
Additional Funding Sources
The project described was supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Grant No. P20GM103408.
Abstract
Plant resistance to Globodera pallida, commonly known as the pale cyst nematode, has been at the forefront of agricultural research in Idaho since its identification in the southern region of the state in 2006. Pale cyst nematodes can cause devastating losses to farmers and cannot be easily eradicated like other pests. Therefore, exploiting host plant resistance is one of the most promising ways to combat G. pallida. One strategy in this endeavor to develop a resistant potato variety is to identify and isolate nematode resistance genes from immune plants and transform them into the desired cultivar. This project focused on a putative cystatin-like protein coding gene from the nematode resistant Solanum sisymbriifolium, litchi tomato, which was transformed into potato, Solanum tuberosum. The gene was selected due to the well documented role that cystatin proteins play in plant defense as protease inhibitors. After transformation, the resulting plants were tested to confirm presence of the gene and determine its role in defense.
The Potential Role of Solanum sisymbriifolium Putative Cystatin-Like Protein in Plant Defense to Globodera pallida
Plant resistance to Globodera pallida, commonly known as the pale cyst nematode, has been at the forefront of agricultural research in Idaho since its identification in the southern region of the state in 2006. Pale cyst nematodes can cause devastating losses to farmers and cannot be easily eradicated like other pests. Therefore, exploiting host plant resistance is one of the most promising ways to combat G. pallida. One strategy in this endeavor to develop a resistant potato variety is to identify and isolate nematode resistance genes from immune plants and transform them into the desired cultivar. This project focused on a putative cystatin-like protein coding gene from the nematode resistant Solanum sisymbriifolium, litchi tomato, which was transformed into potato, Solanum tuberosum. The gene was selected due to the well documented role that cystatin proteins play in plant defense as protease inhibitors. After transformation, the resulting plants were tested to confirm presence of the gene and determine its role in defense.