Biotech Updates

Mutant Arabidopsis Exhibits Aphid Resistance through Overexpression of the SKS13 Gene

August 20, 2014

Some plants activate defenses against aphids by changing the expression of specific genes. Previous studies revealed a mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana that hindered the development of the aphid Myzus persicae. Ben Vosman from Wageningen UR in Netherlands, and his team further characterized this mutant to identify what reduced the performance of M. persicae.

Results reveal that gene SKU5 SIMILAR 13 (SKS13), expressed only in pollen of wild type Arabidopsis, is overexpressed in the leaves of the mutant. The aphid had difficulty in feeding from the phloem, which led to its reduced performance. Overxpression of SKS13 in leaves also reduced performance of Brevicoryne brassicae, another phloem-feeding aphid.

For more information on this study, feel free to visit: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/14/217#.