Descripción
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Understanding host-pathogen co-evolution is crucial for the management of infectious diseases, as it is at the root of phenomena such as pathogen emergence, host switch and host range expansion, including the overcoming of host resistance, and the composition and dynamics of ecosystems. Plant diseases, have an important impact on peoples quality of life which can be extended to major health, ecological, socio-economical and political consequences, comparable to the most devastating human or animal diseases. However, fewer methods are available to control plant diseases, particularly those caused by viruses. During the last decades, the research on host-pathogen interactions has been done independently (i) on molecular mechanisms of host resistance to pathogens and pathogen adaptation, and (ii) on theoretical analyses of the population genetics of virulence in pathogen populations, and of the resistance in host populations, resulting in two major models of host-pathogen co-evolution: the gene-for-gene (GFG) and the matching-allele (MA) models. This project aims to bridge the fields of population and molecular biology in order to take the research on host-pathogen interactions beyond the present state of the art by providing experimental evidence based on molecular biology approaches of the predictions of theoretical models widely accepted among pathologists. For this, the evolutionary dynamics of resistance genes to tobamo-viruses and poty-viruses will be analysed at the local population level in the wild pepper Capsicum annuum var. aviculare populations, the wild ancestor of domestic C. annuum. Dominant resistance to tobamo-viruses has the traits of GFG systems, while recessive resistance to poty-viruses conforms to a MA system. The proposal seeks to have a holistic view of the evolution of plant-virus interaction using a multidisciplinary approach, and results will contribute to understanding host-pathogen co-evolution within a broader context than plant pathology. | |
Internacional
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Si |
Tipo de proyecto
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Proyectos y convenios en convocatorias públicas competitivas |
Entidad financiadora
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Comisión Europea |
Nacionalidad Entidad
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BELGICA |
Tamaño de la entidad
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Grande |
Fecha concesión
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20/03/2012 |