Research Keyword: natural variation

Natural expression variation for the Arabidopsis MED20a mediator complex subunit influences quantitative resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

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Scientists studied how different varieties of a common plant (Arabidopsis) naturally resist a destructive fungal disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. By examining genetic differences among plant varieties and testing a fungus from different sources, they found that a gene called MED20a plays an important role in disease resistance. Plants with specific genetic variations in the MED20a gene’s control region were more resistant to infection.

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Select and Resequence Methods Enable a Genome-Wide Association Study of the Dimorphic Human Fungal Pathogen Coccidioides posadasii

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Scientists developed a new method to understand how different strains of the fungus Coccidioides posadasii, which causes Valley Fever, respond to temperature changes. By mixing multiple fungal strains together and sequencing their DNA after growing them at different temperatures, they identified a gene that helps determine whether the fungus grows better in hot (body temperature) or cool (environmental) conditions. This discovery could help explain how this dangerous fungus adapts to human infection and may lead to better treatments for Valley Fever.

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Genetic and Genomic Analysis Identifies bcltf1 as the Transcription Factor Coding Gene Mutated in Field Isolate Bc116, Deficient in Light Responses, Differentiation and Pathogenicity in Botrytis cinerea

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Researchers studying gray mold fungus in Spanish vineyards found a natural mutant strain (Bc116) that behaves differently from typical strains, particularly in response to light. Through genetic analysis, they identified that a mutation in the bcltf1 gene is responsible for this strain’s reduced ability to infect plants, increased spore production, and altered survival structure formation. Restoring the normal version of this gene reversed all these unusual characteristics, confirming bcltf1’s critical role in fungal development and disease-causing ability.

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