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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Poplarville, Mississippi » Southern Horticultural Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #211863
Title: Molecular Tools for Studying Plant Pathogens

Author
item Rinehart, Timothy - Tim
item WANG, XINWANG - UNIV OF TENNESSEE
item TRIGIANO, ROBERT - UNIV OF TENNESSEE

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2007
Publication Date: 3/1/2008
Citation: Rinehart, T.A., Wang, X., Trigiano, R.N. 2008. Molecular Tools for Studying Plant Pathogens. Book Chapter. 269-278.

Interpretive Summary: The ubiquitous nature of DNA is a central theme for all biology. The nucleus of each cell that makes up an organism contains genomic DNA, which is the blueprint for life. The differential expression of genes within each cell gives rise to different tissues, organs and, ultimately, different organisms. Changes in genomic DNA give rise to the functional advantages that make some plant pathogens more successful than others. Success, as measured by the ability to reproduce, dictates that organisms that accumulate useful mutations in their genomic DNA will be more likely to pass those changes on to future generations. Heritable mutations are the genetic variation that is visualized by molecular tools. In this chapter, we will discuss the many different forms of genetic variation, current molecular methods for characterizing genetic variation, and possible questions about plant pathogens that can be answered with molecular tools.

Technical Abstract: The ubiquitous nature of DNA is a central theme for all biology. The nucleus of each cell that makes up an organism contains genomic DNA, which is the blueprint for life. The differential expression of genes within each cell gives rise to different tissues, organs and, ultimately, different organisms. Changes in genomic DNA give rise to the functional advantages that make some plant pathogens more successful than others. Success, as measured by the ability to reproduce, dictates that organisms that accumulate useful mutations in their genomic DNA will be more likely to pass those changes on to future generations. Heritable mutations are the genetic variation that is visualized by molecular tools. In this chapter, we will discuss the many different forms of genetic variation, current molecular methods for characterizing genetic variation, and possible questions about plant pathogens that can be answered with molecular tools.