Working with the genome of a corn parasite
2006/11/06 Rementeria Argote, Nagore - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa
This parasite fungus that almost completely covers the cob of the image is called Ustilago maydis. Receive the food you need from corn and you need it to reproduce.
In order to better know this parasite, they have sequenced the genome and found several groups of genes that encode proteins without known functions. Specifically, twelve groups of genes. And seven of these groups of genes are considered associated with the parasite process.
It seems that the genome of this parasite hardly resembles the genomes of other parasites, such as those that use toxins or enzymes, so researchers believe that it uses a very different strategy to infect corn.
Photo: Christoph Basse.
