Projeto Genoma-FAPESP: laboratório de sequenciamento

• Processo: 97/13468-6
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa GENOMA
• Data de Início da vigência: 01 de dezembro de 1997
• Data de Término da vigência: 30 de junho de 2000
• Área do conhecimento: Ciências Biológicas - Bioquímica - Biologia Molecular
• Pesquisador responsável: Luiz Roberto Nunes
• Beneficiário: Luiz Roberto Nunes
• Instituição Sede: Diretoria de Pesquisa, Pós-Graduação e Extensão. Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC). Mogi das Cruzes , SP, Brasil
• Assunto(s): Clorose variegada dos citros Genomas Análise de sequência de DNA Xylella fastidiosa
• Palavra(s)-Chave do Pesquisador: Biologia Molecular | Clorose Bariegada Dos Citros | Genoma | Sequenciamento De Dna | Xylellafastidiosa

Resumo

The phytopathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is capable of colonizing the xylem of several different plant species, and in certain occasions, these bacteria have been observed to grow into great densities, physically blocking the vessels and interfering with the normal flow of sap in the plant. This situation seems to be associated with the onset of disease, such as in the case of Citrus Variegated Chlorosis (CVC) that affects orange and lime trees. This disease was first identified in Brazil in 1987 and during the last 7 years, it has rapidly spread throughout extensive areas over the states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais and northern Parana. The most striking characteristics observed in diseased trees are the progressive appearance of small chlorotic spots on the leaves, which can develop into localized necrotic lesions. The blockage in the water-conducting system leads to a severe water-deficiency stress, which in turn, compromises the productivity. Typically, a CVC affected plant produces small and hardened fruit, with significantly reduced juice content. This disease is of particular interest to the economy of the state of Sao Paulo, the world's leading producer and exporter of concentrated orange juice. During the past five years, it is estimated that CVC has affected approximately 60% of the orange farms in the state, being responsible for over US$ 200,000,000.00 worth of losses in this strategic area of Brazilian agribusiness (for detailed information, see http://www.onsonaunicamp.br/x:f7home/mmachado.html). In spite of its economic relevance, very little research has been performed with CVC over the past decades (for reviews, see Hopkins, 1989; Purcell & Hopkins, 1996). This lack of information is partially due to the difficulty in growing X. fastidiosa in axenic conditions. Thus, an alternative approach that would lead to rapid accumulation of crude biological information about X. fastidiosa could be the complete sequencing of its genome. In this sense, the Sao Paulo state science foundation (F APESP) has envisioned the X. fastidiosa Genome Project, aimed at the task of deciphering the entire nucleotide composition of this bacterium, creating a database with a massive amount of information about the bacterium's general biology and internal physiology. This information may set the basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies against X. fastidiosa and eve. A second goal to be achieved during the development of the project would be the establishment, throughout the state of Sao Paulo, of a series of laboratories capable of conducting state-of the art research in Genomics and general molecular biology. (AU)