Project Title Corn cancer caused by Ustilago maydis
Position Held: Figuring out how this fungal pathogen converts dividing corn cells into tumors
Partnering Organization(s): Max Planck, Marburg
Location: International
Specific Location: Stanford CA
This an ongoing project: Yes
There are opportunities for student involvement in work: Yes
Description: Exploiting diverse mutants of maize with defects in growth control and mutations in the fungus that reduce or enhance tumor formation we are testing the concept that the state of differentiation of host cells determines whether or not particular fungal gene are required for the conversion to tumors. To date, fungal geneticists have not considered whether different corn organs would require different fungal gene products to switch to a tumor. From March 2009 supported by the NSF.
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