Network analysis of genes determining vascular wilt disease

Network analysis of genes determining vascular wilt disease.

Lead Supervisor: Dr Louise Thatcher
Associates: Dr Kemal Kazan, Dr Donald Gardiner

Vascular wilt disease caused by the root infecting fungus Fusarium oxysporum affects over 100 plant species, including many economically important crops. This pathogen survives in soil for long periods and can be extremely difficult to eradicate once soils become infested.

High-throughput screening for altered Fusarium resistance on the model host Arabidopsis thaliana has identified many host mutants with increased susceptibility or resistance. This project aims to confirm the Fusarium disease phenotypes of a selected subset of mutants and develop hypotheses on the involvement of mutated genes in resistance or susceptibility mechanisms to Fusarium. This will involve screening second independent mutant lines in the genes of interest, confirming the mutations through PCR analysis, and the use of other pathogen assays, gene expression analysis and/or bioinformatic approaches to develop a network map of genes determining vascular wilt disease outcomes