Helping Plants Fight Parasitic Vines

A team of plant biologists at the University of California, Davis led by Neelima Sinha has developed a transgenic approach to fight parasitic vines that affect food crops. The team identified RNA molecules that respond to signals from the parasite to provide water, sugar and other nutrients.The genes responsible for the molecules are found in the actively dividing cells of the host and in the junctions where the parasite enters the host.

Using RNA interference, the team identified regions that were unique to the parasite, and used them to make a short DNA construct. Tobacco plants were engineered to contain this construct to make short pieces of RNA molecules that match the genes of the parasite but not the host.

Dodder vines which were allowed to grow on genetically engineered tobacco did not grow well, showed high level of stress as manifested by early flowering. The team hopes to extend application of this knowledge in Africa to prevent infection of Striga, a parasitic weed that affect grain crops.

See the news at http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10292.