Deciphering the Potato Cyst Worm Genome

Attention of world leading scientists, including some of those involved in the Human Genome Project, is being drawn to a parasitic worm less than one millimeter long—the potato cyst nematode (PCN). PCN is a prolific pest attacking potato roots. The worm causes the formation of specialized cells in the roots, stunting root growth and depriving the plant of essential nutrients. It is particularly devastating in developing countries where potato is a subsistence crop. It also affects two of the world’s major potato growing regions, Ukraine and Idaho, USA.

A £1.7 million project, led by the University of Leeds, aims to decode the whole PCN genome. The DNA sequence is expected to shed light on what makes the PCN such a successful parasite and lead to methods to combat the pest. The project will draw together experts from the University of Leeds, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Rothamsted Research and SCRI, Scotland’s leading centre for crop research. In UK alone, farmers spend in excess of £50 million a year in efforts to manage the PCN. The team hopes to sequence the genome by 2012.

For more information visit http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/