Risk assessment: determining genetic relatedness and potential asexual gene exchange in biocontrol fungi [review]. [Workshop paper]
1992
Weidemann, G.J. (Arkansas Univ., Fayetteville (USA). Dept. of Plant Pathology)
A major component of risk analysis for biocontrol fungi is the determination of the genetic similarity of the biocontrol agent to potential crop pathogens and relating this information to host range or other perceived risk factors. As genetically-modified fungal strains are developed for use, the relative ability of the agent to hybridize with related strains in the environment and exchange nuclei or genes also will become an increasingly important component of risk assessment. Numerous techniques are available for determining genetic relatedness between fungal taxa and populations, including protein electrophoresis and DNA analysis. Asexual gene exchange can be determined using genetic markers to detect heterokaryosis and recombination. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides has been used as a model system to address methods to determine genetic transfer between host-specialised forms. Current research on the use of protein electrophoresis and mitochondrial DNA analysis to assess genetic relatedness and the use of nitrate reductase mutants and nutritional auxotrophs to determine the potential for asexual gene transfer is discussed.
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