Date: 18th November 2020
Time: 13:00
Title: Loss-of-susceptibility to pepino mosaic virus in tomato
Location: Remotely via Zoom
Host: Kristiina Mäkinen
Abstract: Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) causes an important disease in tomato crops worldwide. Sources of partial resistance to PepMV have been identified in the natural diversity of Solanum spp., but they seem to be controlled by complex genetics and/or are specific to the viral strain. We thus have addressed alternative strategies for the development of tomato varieties resistant to PepMV, including the screening of an EMS mutagenized collection of tomato lines, and the targeting of genes encoding potential susceptibility factors. With the first strategy we identified a mutant line showing loss-of-susceptibility to PepMV. A mapping-by-sequencing approach pointed to a genetic interval which encompasses four candidate genes carrying single nucleotide polymorphisms. For the second strategy, we focussed on genes encoding tomato proteins interacting with PepMV proteins in a yeast-two-hybrid screening. Generation of mutants using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology enabled the identification of GSTU38 as a proviral factor for this virus.
Research in Miguel Aranda´s group is mainly in genetic resistant to agronomically important plant viruses.