Gene expression profile of apple trees under water stress conditions and virus infection
This project seeks to carry out an analysis of the differential gene expression of apple trees due to the lack of water and how this relates to virus infection. Understanding the drought impact at a molecular lever aim to help decision making by producers and reduce production losses in the future. Briefly, apple samples will be obtained from commercial orchards in Chihuahua, later, total RNA will be extracted to conduct RNA-Seq in the Illumina NextSeq 550 platform located at Tec de Monterrey. Since most plant viruses have RNA genome, beside gene expression profile, the same RNA-Seq data will be used to determine viral infection.
Student research assistants will be integral to the project's success, providing support across various stages. Their key contributions will include:
- Data collection and management: They will assist in gathering, organizing, and maintaining the large datasets related to plant viruses, including field-collected samples and meteorological data, this may involve fieldwork.
- Molecular and lab work: They will support laboratory tasks, such as DNA/RNA extraction, HTS, and other molecular techniques necessary for virus detection in strawberry samples.
5
Alfredo Díaz Lara
diazlara@tec.mx
Plant pathology
