Seminar

Transcriptomic insights into the structure and function of a parasitic angiosperm and a giant unicellular alga

Abstract: Parasitic plants, which penetrate and establish vascular connections through specialized organs called haustoria to steal nutrients and water from host plants, are one of the most destructive agricultural pests. De novo assembly and analysis of the transcriptome of the obligate stem plant parasite Cuscuta pentagona (Dodder) identified key genes and gene categories, such as plant defense and transporter genes, involved in the process of plant parasitism (Ranjan et al., 2014). The study is being used to identify potential gene targets for use in controlling infestation of crops by parasitic plants. In a parallel project, transcriptomics deciphered the molecular and genetic basis of patterning in one of the largest unicellular coenocytic alga, Caulerpa taxifolia, with distinct functional pseudo-organs. The study revealed a global, apical-basal pattern of the transcript distribution related to specific functionalities of the specific parts. The results not only provided an intracellular atlas of transcript localization, but also demonstrated the contribution of transcript partitioning to morphology, independent from multicellularity, in plants. (Ranjan et al., 2015).