Transformation of plant-parasitic nematodes
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Dundee
Department Name: School of Life Sciences
Abstract
Portugal
Organisations
- University of Dundee (Lead Research Organisation, Project Partner)
- North Carolina State University (Collaboration)
- James Hutton Institute (Collaboration)
- Iowa State University (Collaboration)
- University of Warwick (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- French National Institute of Agricultural Research (Collaboration)
- Wageningen University & Research (Collaboration)
- University of Ghent (Collaboration)
- University of California, Davis (Collaboration)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
- European Society of Nematologists (Project Partner)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Sebastian Eves-Van Den Akker (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Eves-Van Den Akker S
(2021)
Plant-nematode interactions.
in Current opinion in plant biology
Eves-Van Den Akker S
(2021)
Recent applications of biotechnological approaches to elucidate the biology of plant-nematode interactions.
in Current opinion in biotechnology
Kranse OP
(2022)
A low-cost and open-source solution to automate imaging and analysis of cyst nematode infection assays for Arabidopsis thaliana.
in Plant methods
Marshall C
(2023)
Urban wildflower meadow planting for biodiversity, climate and society: An evaluation at King's College, Cambridge
in Ecological Solutions and Evidence
Siddique S
(2022)
The genome and lifestage-specific transcriptomes of a plant-parasitic nematode and its host reveal susceptibility genes involved in trans-kingdom synthesis of vitamin B5.
in Nature communications
| Description | This proposal wholly supported a workshop on the transformation of plant-parasitic nematodes. The main outcomes of this proposal were open knowledge transfer of previous attempts, critical appraisal of available strategies, and the development of a series of "most promising" strategies for transformation in light of the former. A network has now been formed to share ideas and practises that we hope will facilitate future advancements in our field. In a recent effort, we have, for the very fir |
| Exploitation Route | Following the expert discussion at the workshop - various laboratories around the world are implementing the most promising strategies for transformation of plant parasitic nematodes. In a recent effort, we have, for the very first time, demonstrated expression of reporter proteins in plant-parasitic nematodes. A publication from the consortium follows: Kranse O, Beasley H, Adams S, Pires-daSilva A, Bell C, Lilley CJ, Urwin PE, Bird D, Miska E, Smant G, Gheysen G, Jones J, Viney M, Abad P, |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Description | Proof-of-principle gene editing in plantparasites |
| Amount | $10,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | Genewiz |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Germany |
| Start | 05/2019 |
| End | 12/2019 |
| Description | Proof-of-principle gene editing in plantparasites |
| Amount | $7,500 (USD) |
| Organisation | Synthego Inc |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 04/2019 |
| End | 04/2020 |
| Description | Wellcome/Newton Institutional Strategic Support Fund |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2019 |
| End | 04/2021 |
| Title | Low-cost phenotyping |
| Description | Low-cost phenotyping for plant-nematode infections. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | None to date |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-022-00963-2 |
| Title | Transient expression in plant-parasitic nematodes. |
| Description | We develop a transient expression system in plant-parasitic nematodes by demonstrating the delivery and expression of exogenous mRNA encoding various reporter genes throughout the body of H. schachtii juveniles using lipofectamine-based transfection. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | We anticipate these developments to be independently useful, will expedite the development of genetic modification tools for plant-parasitic nematodes, and ultimately catalyze research on a group of nematodes that threaten global food security. |
| Title | Towards genetic modification of plant-parasitic nematodes: Delivery of macromolecules to male germlines and expression of exogenous mRNA in second stage juveniles |
| Description | Plant-parasitic nematodes are a current and future threat to food security, causing an estimated 100 billion USD in crop losses each year. The most problematic are the obligate sedentary endoparasites (primarily root knot nematodes and cyst nematodes). Progress in understanding their biology is held back by a lack of tools for functional genetics. Forward genetics is largely restricted to studies of natural variation in populations, and reverse genetics is entirely reliant on RNA interference. There is an expectation that the development of functional genetic tools would accelerate progress in plant-parasitic nematology, and hence the development of novel control solutions. Here, we develop some of the foundational biology required to deliver a functional genetic "tool kit" in plant-parasitic nematodes. We characterise the gonads of male Heterodera schachtii and Meloidogyne hapla in the context of spermatogenesis. We test and optimise various methods for the delivery, expression, and/or detection of exogenous nucleic acids in plant-parasitic nematodes. We demonstrate that delivery of macromolecules to cyst and root knot nematode male germlines is difficult but possible. Similarly, we demonstrate the delivery of oligonucleotides to root knot nematode gametes. Finally, we develop a transient expression system in plant-parasitic nematodes by demonstrating the delivery and expression of exogenous mRNA encoding various reporter genes throughout the body of H. schachtii juveniles using lipofectamine-based transfection. We anticipate these developments to be independently useful, and, taken together, will expedite the development of genetic modification protocols for sedentary endoparasitic nematodes, and ultimately catalyze research on a group of nematodes that threaten global food security. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.r4xgxd296 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | French National Institute of Agricultural Research |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | Iowa State University |
| Department | Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | James Hutton Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | North Carolina State University |
| Department | Plants for Human Health Institute |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | University of California, Davis |
| Department | Department of Entomology and Nematology |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Gurdon Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Ghent |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Warwick |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Transformation of Plant Parasitic Nematodes Consortium |
| Organisation | Wageningen University & Research |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Organisation of first workshop. Acquired seed corn funding. Lead of consortium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attending workshop, developing and implementing strategies. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | BBC Radio interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Spoke with the "NakedScientists" live on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, and later broadcast on BBC radio 5, about nematodes and other diseases as part of a program on plants and climate change. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08n78c6 |
| Description | BBC Radio interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Spoke about the open cambridge festival "through the laboratory keyhole" event taking place, where we made films about what it is like to work in a lab and our research more generally. Purpose was to promote the event, our research, and new research centre. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09szcgl |
| Description | Nematology news letter article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Short description of the workshop and its outcomes was published in Nematology News, an official publication of the Society of Nematologists. The purpose of this was to highlight to the wider community the actions and participants of the workshop, and canvass for further ideas and involvement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://nematologists.org/download/12/newsletters/2857/nematology-newsletter-62-3.pdf |
| Description | Open Cambridge: Through the Laboratory Keyhole |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On Thursday 16th October our 'Through the Laboratory Keyhole' on-line event took place, as part of the Open Cambridge Festival. Viewers were treated to a privileged behind-the-scenes peek at four research projects in the Department of Plant Sciences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/news/event-report-through-laboratory-keyhole |
| Description | Press release for Transformation workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Press release following the transformation workshop. Since have had numerous requests for other to be involved in the consortium. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.lifesci.dundee.ac.uk/news/2016/sep/19/dundee-investigator-leads-expert-discussion-transfo... |