| Dr. Robert E. Davis Legacy |
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Phytoplasmas (mycoplasmalike organisms, MLOs) and spiroplasmas are plant pathogenic, cell wall-less bacteria that underwent massive reductions in genome size during their evolution from walled bacterial ancestors. Thus, these unusual microbes possess genomes that are among the smallest known in bacteria, approaching the minimal sets of genes required for cellular life and parasitism in plants and insects. The loss of genetic material over evolutionary time was accompanied by the gain of new capabilities enhancing host adaptation and conferring potentials for pathogenicity in insect vectors and plant hosts.
Dr. Davis' areas of research interest in phytoplasmas and spiroplasmas were:
- Genomic events leading to evolutionary emergence of a new life form-phytoplasmas
- Gene degradation and the loss of biosynthetic pathways that resulted in small genomes and obligate intracellular life styles
- Expansion of functions carried out by genes that were retained through evolution
- Acquisition of genes encoding new functions that enabled host adaptations and pathogenicity in insects and plants
- Transfer of virulence factors through extrachromosomal DNA
- Identification of pathogen proteins as potential targets for new, safe disease control measures
- Molecular markers of genus and species level evolutionary divergence
- Detection, classification, identification, and taxonomy of phytoplasmas in unsolved diseases
Through his research, we gained new fundamental understandings of the evolutionary emergence of spiroplasmas and phytoplasmas, which provided molecular markers and tools for improving detection and identification of the pathogens.
Diseases studied include; grapevine yellows, corn stunt
The results of Dr. Daivs' research helps to:
- Predict their pathogenic potentials
- Improve pathogen detection and molecular taxonomy of wall-less bacteria
- Target pathogen proteins for molecular disease control
- Enhance implementation of quarantine measures and aid disease management.
