ORCID Profile
0000-0002-6651-8166
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Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 03-12-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.03.409680
Abstract: Garlic is one of the most crucial Allium vegetables used as seasoning of foods. It has a lot of benefits from the medicinal and nutritional point of view however, its production is highly constrained by both biotic and abiotic challenges. Among these, viral infections are the most prevalent factors affecting crop productivity around the globe. This experiment was conducted on eleven selected garlic accessions and three improved varieties collected from different garlic growing agro-climatic regions of Ethiopia. This study aimed to identify and characterize the isolated garlic virus using the coat protein (CP) gene and further determine their phylogenetic relatedness. RNA was extracted from fresh young leaves, thirteen days old seedlings, which showed yellowing, mosaic, and stunting symptoms. Pairwise molecular ersity for CP nucleotide and amino acid sequences were calculated using MEGA5. Maximum Likelihood tree of CP nucleotide sequence data of Allexivirus and Potyvirus were conducted using PhyML, while a neighbor-joining tree was constructed for the amino acid sequence data using MEGA5. From the result, five garlic viruses were identified viz. Garlic virus C (78.6 %), Garlic virus D (64.3 %), Garlic virus X (78.6 %), Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) (100%), and Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) (78.6 %). The study revealed the presence of complex mixtures of viruses with 42.9 % of the s les had co-infected with a species complex of Garlic virus C, Garlic virus D, Garlic virus X, OYDV, and LYSV. Pairwise comparisons of the isolated Potyviruses and Allexiviruses species revealed high identity with that of the known members of their respected species. As an exception, less within species identity was observed among Garlic virus C isolates as compared with that of the known members of the species. Finally, our results highlighted the need for stepping up a working framework to establish virus-free garlic planting material exchange in the country which could result in the reduction of viral gene flow across the country. Garlic viruses are the most devastating disease since garlic is the most vulnerable crop due to their vegetative nature of propagation. Currently, the garlic viruses are the aforementioned production constraint in Ethiopia. However, so far very little is known on the identification, ersity, and dissemination of garlic infecting viruses in the country. Here we explore the prevalence, genetic ersity, and the presence of mixed infection of garlic viruses in Ethiopia using next generation sequencing platform. Analysis of nucleotide and amino acid sequences of coat protein genes from infected s les revealed the association of three species from Allexivirus and two species from Potyvirus in a complex mixture. Ultimately the article concludes there is high time to set up a working framework to establish garlic free planting material exchange platform which could result in a reduction of viral gene flow across the country.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 28-09-2007
DOI: 10.1093/PCP/PCM131
Abstract: Flower color is mainly determined by anthocyanins. Rosa hybrida lacks violet to blue flower varieties due to the absence of delphinidin-based anthocyanins, usually the major constituents of violet and blue flowers, because roses do not possess flavonoid 3',5'-hydoxylase (F3'5'H), a key enzyme for delphinidin biosynthesis. Other factors such as the presence of co-pigments and the vacuolar pH also affect flower color. We analyzed the flavonoid composition of hundreds of rose cultivars and measured the pH of their petal juice in order to select hosts of genetic transformation that would be suitable for the exclusive accumulation of delphinidin and the resulting color change toward blue. Expression of the viola F3'5'H gene in some of the selected cultivars resulted in the accumulation of a high percentage of delphinidin (up to 95%) and a novel bluish flower color. For more exclusive and dominant accumulation of delphinidin irrespective of the hosts, we down-regulated the endogenous dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) gene and overexpressed the Irisxhollandica DFR gene in addition to the viola F3'5'H gene in a rose cultivar. The resultant roses exclusively accumulated delphinidin in the petals, and the flowers had blue hues not achieved by hybridization breeding. Moreover, the ability for exclusive accumulation of delphinidin was inherited by the next generations.
Publisher: Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Date: 30-06-2022
DOI: 10.3855/JIDC.15377
Abstract: Introduction: A rapid and sensitive COVID-19 diagnostic test is required to aid in the prevention and control of the current COVID-19 pandemic spread. We developed a colorimetric, rapid, and sensitive RT-LAMP assay for the diagnosis of COVID-19 viral infection. Methodology: Complete genome sequences of 41 SARS-CoV-2 isolates from Oman were used in this study. Three primer sets (CoV_S1, CoV_S2, CoV_M1) were developed from all Omani SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences available at the time, targeting the spike protein gene and the M gene. The primer set (CoV_S1) was found to be the most sensitive and specific among the three designed sets. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were compared to that of qRT-PCR. Direct testing of SARS-CoV-2 spiked saliva with the developed assay was evaluated. Lyophilized colorimetric assays were stored at room temperature and 4 °C and their ability to detect positive s les were tested for a period of 8 weeks. Results: The RT-LAMP assay was validated by testing 145 COVID-19 clinical s les with a sensitivity of 96.9% and specificity of 94.7% when compared to the validated qRT-PCR assay. The assay specificity was tested against SARS-CoV Frankfurt 1 RNA virus and avian coronaviruses as they tested negative with the developed assay. The assay was lyophilized and managed to detect the positive s les colorimetrically when stored at 4 °C for up to 8 weeks. Conclusions: The assay can be utilized in its current form as a screening assay with the advantages of being simpler, quicker, and cheaper than the qRT-PCR.
Location: Australia
Start Date: 2007
End Date: 2010
Funder: Australian Research Council
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