A Vaccine for Rice Plant

In News

Researchers have uncovered a vaccine to boost the immune system of rice.

In-Detail

• Scientists from the Centre for Plant Molecular Biology (CPMB), and Osmania University,Hyderabad have uncovered a vaccine to boost the immune system of rice.
• Researchers identified the mechanism by which a bacterium called Xoo (Xanthomonas oryzaepv. Oryzae), which causes a serious bacterial leaf blight disease in rice, infects and causes disease in rice plant.
• For developing the vaccine, the researchers have identified and developed few molecules which are derived from either Xoo bacterium or the infected rice cell walls.
• They developed new disease control strategies and can use as vaccines that activate the rice immune system.
• It also provides resistance to the plants from subsequent infections by Xoo.
• Researchers carried out biochemical and functional studies on the plant cell wall degrading enzymes secreted by Xoo.
• It has provided key insights into the mechanisms by which the Xoo pathogen interacts with the rice plant and causes the disease.
• Xoo is one of the major disruptors of rice cultivation in the world leading to huge yield losses.
• Researchers are working on a cellulose protein secreted by Xoo.
• This protein has the features of a typical vaccine as it is a potent elicitor of rice immune responses.
• Pre-treatment of a rice plant with this protein provides resistance to rice against Xoo.
• When rice is treated with cellulase, a cell wall degrading enzyme secreted by Xoo will instigate immune response in the rice plant and it further protects the rice from subsequent infections of Xoo.
• Researchers are exploring the rice cell wall degradation products and when the elicitor molecules are identified, will be used as a vaccine to activate the rice immune system.
• The best way to control the disease so far was by introducing the Resistance ‘R’ which involves breeding and gene manipulation techniques.
• This is time consuming, laborious and provides only rare specific resistance.
• The elicitor molecule will have the potential to induce a broad spectrum resistance.
• This will be strong against Xoo and other pathogens.
• This study might lead to new ways of reducing yield losses for a crop.