Fungi Destroyer

Two fungi cause leafs in wheat to die. Scientists are now trying to turn off the gene Tsn1 so that the fungus does not kill leafs. Pyrenophora tritci-repentis and Stagonspora nodorum are both fungi that help kills the plant. They are often seen together. They occur in the same crop field and produce the same toxin. The toxin, ToxA, cause a Tsn1 response called programmed cell death or PCD. Without the fungi there, PCD protects the plants by leading invaders in to dead cells. But this does not work cecasue ToxA fungi feeds on dead tissues. Researchers conclude that wheat inherited Tsn1 from goatgrass. Tsn1 only works in the daylight and shuts off at night.

This is related biology by that scientist can turn off that gene in the wheat plants. With that gene turned off, the ToxA fungi cannot kill leafs of the plant. Also scientists now have an understanding of to where the gene originally comes from. This also shows that wheat is related to goatgrass. Scientists can find out more about this gene and how ToxA affects it.

This is important because we need wheat to eat and its some people’s daily food source. We made a lot of things from wheat. If there is a low supply of wheat, we won’t have bread and other products made from wheat. It is also important to study other kinds of organisms like the fungus to know how it works and what it produces.