Using genes to counter rust

An international study led by a Queensland scientist has found a way to better safeguard an important food crop—and the world's beer supply.

Resistance gene found against Ug99 wheat stem rust pathogen

The world's food supply got a little more plentiful thanks to a scientific breakthrough. Eduard Akhunov, associate professor of plant pathology at Kansas State University, and his colleague, Jorge Dubcovsky from the University ...

First tapeworm genomes give insights into parasite evolution

Tapeworms have no gut or head. They are parasites that cause debilitating diseases, which can be deadly and often don't respond to drugs. Now, scientists have mapped the genetic code of tapeworms for the first time, the journal ...

Research reveals unique solution to gene regulation

Research on a unique vertebrate called the sea lamprey shows that more than a thousand genes are shed during its early development. These genes are paradoxically lost all throughout the developing embryo except in a specialized ...

Differences in the genomes of related plant pathogens

Many crop plants worldwide are attacked by a group of fungi that numbers more than 680 different species. After initial invasion, they first grow stealthily inside living plant cells, but then switch to a highly destructive ...

Single-cell parasites co-opt 'ready-made' genes from host: study

Two species of single-cell parasites have co-opted "ready-made" genes from their hosts that in turn help them exploit their hosts, according to a new study by University of British Columbia and University of Ottawa researchers.

Steroids control gas exchange in plants

Plants leaves are sealed with a gas-tight wax layer to prevent water loss. Plants breathe through microscopic pores called stomata (Greek for mouths) on the surfaces of leaves. Over 40% of the carbon dioxide, CO2, in the ...

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