Page 36 - TriSociety Virtual Event
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Abstracts
action were used to predict putative efectors Session 6. Invited keynote speaker Canada's crops are constantly threatened
indicating a predominance of efectors with by fungal and oomycete pathogens that can
interacting domains (e g ankyrin) supporting 29. Genomics: changing how we improve cause serious yield losses While fungicides
previous studies Genes like benZoic acid/SA crops are ofen used to control them there are in
methyltransferase (BSMT) which methylates S. WALKOWIAK, K. NILSEN AND C. J. POZNIAK. creasing concerns about oftarget efects and
SA to render it inactive showed higher le vels Grain Research Laboratory, Canadian Grain the rise of pathogen resistance RNA interfe
of expression in the compatible interac Commission, 196 Innovation Dr, Winnipeg, rence (RNAi) is emerging as a control method
tions We also sequenced 45 P. brassicae R3T 6C5, Manitoba, Canada; (K.N.) Brandon of phytopathogens and permits speciesli
single spore and field isolates using Illumina Research and Development Centre, Agricultu mited control using gene sequencespecific
shortreads with referencebased mapping re and Agri-Food Canada, 2701 Grand Valley doublestranded RNA s (dsRNA s) Growth
conducted to identify polymorphic sites that Road, Brandon, MB, R7A 5Y3; (C.J.P) Crop Deve of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum can be inhibited
could be targeted for molecular pathotyping lopment Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 51 using linear dsRNA s hairpin RNA s (hpRNA s)
Isolate clusters corresponding to pathotypes Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada. and paperclip RNA s (pcRNA s) but the cellular
5X and 3H could be distinguished by rhPCR uptake mechanisms of these diferent structu
and SNapShot These molecular diagnostics Genomics is a rapidly changing field with the red molecules difer While linear dsRNA s are
methods show promise for distinguishing power to disrupt and enable scientific break taken up by Sclerotinia via clathrinmediated
additional pathotypes for proactive clubroot throughs in many disciplines of biolog y. The endocytosis hpRNA s and pcRNA s enter by an
management immense size and complexity of many plant unidentified pathway By challenging Scleroti
genomes hindered early genome sequencing nia with chemical inhibitors and RNAimedia
28. Clathrin mediated endocytosis is progress of several crops, but recent techno ted knockdown of diferent uptake proteins
involved in the uptake of exogenous logical advances in sequencing and assembly we are elucidating the diferent dsRNA uptake
doublestranded RNA in the white mold have made it possible to achieve chromoso mechanisms in this fungus Our findings could
phytopathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum me scale assemblies for even the most com prove valuable in future designs of dsRNA s to
M BELMONTE N WYTINCK AND S WHYARD plex genomes. Coupled with reduced costs either overcome natural or acquired uptake re
University of Manitoba Department of Biologi and increased throughput, it is now possible sistance In addition to our research on necro
cal Sciences Winnipeg R3T 2N2 Canada to capture genome information of multiple trophic fungi we have extended our applica
individuals, or even large populations. By tions of RNAi to obligate biotrophic oomycete
RNA interference (RNAi) technologies have comparing the genome assemblies of multiple pathogens DsRNA s have been designed to
recently been developed to control a growing individuals, we are able to uncover the full target genes associated with a range of cellular
number of agronomically significant fungal complement of genomic diversity available functions in the downy milde w pathogen Hya
phytopathogens including the white mold to plant breeders and guide the identification loperonospora arabidopsidis which infects the
pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Exposure of causal genes for indemand traits. With model plant Arabidopsis thaliana The efica
of this fungus to exogenous doublestranded genomics tools at our fingertips, it is truly an cies of the diferent dsRNA s were evaluated by
RNA (dsRNA) results in potent RNAimediated exciting time to be working towards plant im measuring transcript knockdown leaf staining
knockdown of target genes' transcripts but provement and to witness these technologies and by a novel Hyaloperonospora in vitro spo
it is unclear how the dsRNA can enter the drive the development of the next generation re germination assay Our findings have led
fungal cells In nematodes specialiZed dsRNA of crops. It is with this next generation of crops to improved ways in measuring RNAibased
transport proteins such as SID1 facilitate that we will be meeting the needs of our in treatments in obligate biotrophic pathogens
dsRNA uptake but for many other eukaryotes creasing human population and challenges of and ser ve as the basis for future RNAi analysis
in which the dsRNA uptake mechanisms have intensified agriculture and climate change. within Hyaloperonospora
been examined endoc ytosis appears to me
diate the uptake process In this study using Session 7. Student oral compe 31. Improving biosurveillance in the
live cell imaging transgenic fungal cultures genomics era: using largescale genome
and endocytic inhibitors we determined that tition: Genomic Applications for comparisons with machine learning to
the uptake mechanism in S. sclerotiorum Crop Improvement predict fungal phytopathogenic lifestyles
occurs through clathrinmediated endocyto E N DORT E LAYNE N FEAU M BLANCHET
sis RNAimediated knockdown of several 30. Byebye fungicides, hello RNAi: TE AND R C HAMELIN Department of Forest
clathrinmediated endocytic genes' transcripts Understanding the uptake of RNAibased & Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry,
confirmed the involvement of this cellular controls and application of RNAi in con University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall,
uptake process in facilitating RNAi in this fun trolling obligate biotrophic oomycetes Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; and (E.L., M.B.)
gus Understanding the mode of dsRNA entr y C L MANCHUR A TAYLER N AKKERMAN School of Computer Science, Faculty of Science,
into the fungus will prove useful in designing P PELKA M F BELMONTE AND S WHYARD McGill University, 3480 University St., Montréal,
and optimiZing future dsRNAbased control Department of Biological Sciences, University of QC H3A 0E9, Canada.
methods and in anticipating possible mecha Manitoba, 45 Chancellor’s Circle, Winnipeg, MB,
nisms by which phytopathogens may develop R3T 2N2, Canada.
resistance to this novel category of fungicides
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