Genomics data mining for the genetic analysis of populations of the Dutch elm disease (DED) fungi (Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi)

Objective

RAPD analyses have shown that two inter-fertile fungal species causing the Dutch elm disease (DED) (Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi) coexist in elm stands in Europe, together with their interspecies hybrids. This constitutes an opportunity for a rapid emergence of new pathogenic races via interspecific gene flow. However, due to the drawbacks of the RAPD technique, new molecular markers should be designed to investigate the evolution of the pathogen populations. This project will enable the fellow to acquire the needed knowledge on the genomics of DED fungi to develop new molecular markers, in order to analyse the evolution of the populations of these pathogens in European elm stands. In the partner organization (Laval University, Canada), the fellow will develop the new markers by a mining of Ophiostoma genomics data obtained at this Canadian University. At Laval University the research program will include: (i) screening Ophiostoma ESTs libraries for microsatellites and PCR-RFLP; (ii) designing PCR-markers for several polymorphic fitness/pathogenic genes; and (iii) developing PCR-markers to detect genome changes generate by transposition of transposable elements (TEs). In the return institution (Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain) the fellow will study the populations of the pathogens, and the evolutionary mechanisms that might lead the pathogens to overcome the elm resistance of breeding programs. The study of the populations will comprise: (iv) the levels of sexual reproduction, hybridisation and introgression; (v) the genetic structure and gene flow among populations; and (vi) the analysis of the polymorphism generated by TEs in order to investigate whether their activation increases the genetic diversity of the pathogen populations. Two potential evolutionary scenarios will be investigated: populations of the DED pathogens in equilibrium (sensitive elm stands), and under selection (tolerant elm stands).

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

• natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
• natural sciences computer and information sciences data science data mining
• natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

• Dutch elm disease
• Ophiostoma
• Ulmus
• elm
• forest pathogens
• fungal populations
• genetic diversity
• molecular markers
• pathogenic fungi

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

• FP7-PEOPLE-IOF-2008 - Marie Curie Action: "International Outgoing Fellowships for Career Development"

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-IOF-2008
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)

Coordinator