Characterization of Maize Genes in Response to Aspergillus Flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Accumulation

Author

Matthew Constantine Asters

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Shan, Xueyan

Committee Member

Willard, Scott T.

Committee Member

Williams, W. Paul

Date of Degree

12-13-2014

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Agricultural Life Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Abstract

Aspergillus flavus is a pathogenic fungus causing maize ear rot disease and producing aflatoxins that are carcinogenic to humans and animals. Characterizing maize host resistance mechanisms and prioritizing candidate resistance genes are important to the development of resistant maize germplasm. This study investigated transcriptomics approaches and statistics methods on the identification of maize host resistance genes. Full-length cDNA libraries were also constructed and evaluated for gene cloning and functional analysis. This study established important sources for functional studies on differentially expressed genes and for identification of allelic gene forms to characterize gene polymorphisms and facilitate the development of DNA markers.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/20355

Recommended Citation

Asters, Matthew Constantine, "Characterization of Maize Genes in Response to Aspergillus Flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Accumulation" (2014). Theses and Dissertations. 1022.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/1022