Student's Journal of Health Research Africa (Jun 2023)
IN-VITRO ANTIFUNGAL POTENTIAL OF dsRNA MOLECULES ON FUSARIUM ACTIN RELATED PROTEIN 2/3, DNA POLYMERASE DELTA SUBUNIT AND ADENYLASE CYCLASE ESSENTIAL GENES ON COLLAR ROT AND WILT PATHOGENS OF PASSIONFRUIT.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In Uganda two fungal diseases have become economically important; Fusarium wilt which is caused by.Fusarium oxysporum. f.sp passiflorae (Fop) and collar rot caused by Fusarium solani (Fs). The aim of this study was to determine antifungal activity of synthetic dsRNA constructed to silence essential genes; Actin Related Protein 2/3 (D6), DNA Polymerase delta subunit (J6), and Adenylase cyclase (K6), in Fusarium from banana on Fusarium sp from passionfruit. METHODS: In this study, pathogenic samples which were previously isolated from 3 districts in Central Uganda i.e. Wakiso, Mpigi, and Mukono were tested to determine and explore RNAi as an anti-fungal control strategy for spore germination. Sample materials obtained were subjected to DNA extraction from pure mycelia and PCR was performed. Antifungal dsRNA assays were run to test the efficiency relying on the reduction in a number of fungal colonies on PDA. RESULTS: Previous results showed that wilting was associated with one specific species of Fusarium oxysporum and collar rot with one species of Fusarium solani. Anti-fungal assay tests in this study included PCRs targeting the Fusarium actin related protein 2/3 (D6), DNA polymerase delta subunit (J6) as well as adenylase cyclase (K6) results showed that % spore germination inhibition on Fop ranged from 61.9-93.9% and Fs ranged from -69-87.3%. CONCLUSION: These results show that an environmentally friendly control measure for the above diseases is possible through the development of resistant plants which express dsRNA for a specified gene_ Fusarium Actin Related Protein 2/3. RECOMMENDATION: RNAi would be a promising target gene for RNAi –mediated resistance in passion fruit against the target fungal diseases.
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