Dr Erin Bakker seminar

Dr Erin Bakker from the Laboratory of Nematology at the Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University Netherlands, will give a seminar entitled "Genomic organisation and evolutionary dynamics of resistance genes in potato" at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee. It will be broadcast live to the Aberdeen site. The seminar is being hosted by Dr John Jones of Cell and Molecular Sciences.

Abstract

Erin currently studies the genomic organisation and evolutionary dynamics of resistance genes in potato. With this research she has three main objectives.

The first is to identify the genes controlling important resistance traits, such as the H1 gene, conferring resistance to Globodera rostochiensis and Grp1, conferring broad spectrum resistance to both G. pallida and G. rostochiensis. The second main objective is to identify sequence variation in or near these genes in order to facilitate marker design for breeding purposes. Finally, her third main objective is to gain insight into evolutionary dynamics and structure-function relations of resistance genes.

To this end, Erin has been and is using a variety of techniques and approaches, such as sequencing the NB-LRR type of resistance gene homologues throughout the potato genome, constructing a physical map of the diploid potato genotype RH89-039-16, constructing local physical maps of resistance gene regions in other potato genotypes, and sequencing resistance gene homologues in wild Solanum species.

Biography

After obtaining an MSc in crop protection and plant breeding, with a focus on epidemiology at Wageningen University, Erin started, within the department of Nematology of Wageningen University, on a PhD programme on molecular and genetic analyses of nematode resistance genes in potato.