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P I:
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Andrew Kiggundu
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Contact Details
Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute
, 74 Lunnon Road, Hilcrest, Pretoria
, South Africa, 0002
Tel. 27 41 567158,
Fax: 27 12 4203960
Email direct:
andrew.kiggundu@fabi.up.ac.za
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Grantee:
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University of Pretoria
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Amount:
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US $102,120 |
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Duration:
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Three Years |
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Introduction
The use
of proteinase inhibitors to engineer plants for resistance to a wide
range of insect pests has recently gained much attention. Several
studies have demonstrated effectiveness in the use of such inhibitor
genes for transgenic control of various pests including insects and
nematodes. Proteinase inhibitors that operate by inhibiting the gut
enzymes that break down proteins in the insect’s diet have been isolated
in several plant species and are believed to function as defense
compounds against insect and pathogen attack. Exploring plants own
defense mechanisms, by engineering and the introduction of insect
defense proteins from other plants is seen as a more natural strategy.
Several genes encoding various proteinase inhibitors have been
introduced into crop plants with successful improvement in resistance to
pests and these plants are now at various stages of field-testing
worldwide. The project is in collaboration with Rothamsted Research, UK
and Laval University Quebec, Canada.
General
Project Objectives
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Evaluate a
strategy for the use of cysteine proteinase inhibitors (cystatins) as
a first target gene for genetic engineering of banana for resistance
to banana weevil.
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To optimise
through protein engineering, inhibition activity of at least two plant
cystatins to obtain novel inhibitors with increased activity against
banana weevils and thus acquire intellectual property rights.
Specific
Objectives
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Characterise
proteolytic enzyme activity in the mid-gut of banana weevils and thus
identify potential proteinase inhibitors of plant origin.
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Develop
in-vitro and in-vivo bio-assays for testing purified
cysteine proteinase inhibitors against gut proteinase activity, and on
larval growth and development.
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Engineer through
site-directed mutagenesis and bio-informatics tools, at least two
plant cystatins with improved and specific inhibition of banana weevil
gut proteinase enzymes, both in-vivo and in-vitro.
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Design gene
constructs for engineering bananas with novel cysteine proteinase
inhibitor genes.
Collaborators
Karl Kunert,
National Banana Research Programme, KARI/NARO, Uganda
Altus Viljoen,
Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI),
University of Pretoria South Africa.
Michael Pillay
and Cliff Gold,
International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture, East and Southern Africa Regional Center
P.O. Box 7878, Kampala,
Uganda.
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