Scientists Sequence Spider Mite Genome
December 9, 2011| |
Spider mite is a pest of various plants such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, apples, pears, maize and soya. Damages caused by this mite on crops could go as high as EUR 735 000 mark. An international team of scientists deciphered the first genome of the pest and recently published in the journal Nature. The paper discussed the genetic basis of the capacity of the spider mite to survive by feeding more than 1000 plants.
The paper also discussed how mites could multiply and evolve new genes for the detoxification of plant toxic molecules. In particular, it can effectively 'hijack' detoxification genes from bacteria, fungi and plants to fight the plants by incorporating them into its own genome. More specifically, the team identified how some discovered genes such as the Hox complex contribute significantly to ensuring the proper basic structure and orientation of an organism. The new knowledge on the evolution of arthropod and plant-herbivore interactions would allow scientists to work on developing non-pesticide tools to make agriculture more sustainable.
In addition, the mite also produces a particular kind of silk which has unique lightness and other properties that can have industrial and pharmaceutical uses.
Details of this article can be viewed at http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=EN_NEWS_FP7&ACTION=D&DOC=4&CAT=NEWS&QUERY=01342185ffa3:a458:23b09eeb&RCN=34080
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