ID :
199648
Sun, 08/07/2011 - 21:47
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http://m.oananews.org//node/199648
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Scientists discover extreme environment-resistant plant genes
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- An international team of scientists discovered genes that can make a plant more resistant to extreme environmental conditions, such as salinity and drastic climate change, South Korea's science ministry said Monday.
The discovery, once further studied and developed, could help resolve global food shortages by developing plants that can be grown in areas that are currently not suitable for agriculture, according to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
Plants can be largely divided into two groups -- glycophytes that easily die under extreme conditions and make up over 98 percent of all plant types, and halophytes that can survive even under extreme conditions.
While analyzing the genome of a halophyte called Thellungiella parvula, researchers led by Yun Dae-jin, a biochemistry professor from South Korea's Gyeongsang National University, confirmed the plant not only has an unusually high number of genes related to environmental stress, but that it also has genes that make it more tolerant to harsh natural conditions.
"The team said the genetic information of halophytes may allow the development of plants that can better survive in extreme enviornments, as well as those thats are more adaptable to climate changes, and thus significantly contributing to solving the problem of food shortages in the future," the ministry said.
Climate change triggered by large amounts of greenhouse gases released into the environment has raised the Earth's temperatures and caused more land to turn into deserts.
The discovery was published Monday on the Web site of the British journal Nature Genetics and will be published in a print edition of the journal in September, according to the ministry.
Yun's paper was co-authored by Prof. Hans J. Bohnert of the University of Illinois and Prof. Ray A. Bressan of Purdue University, as well as Oh Dong-ha, a researcher from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and Hong Hye-won, a doctoral student from Gyeongsang National University.
The discovery, once further studied and developed, could help resolve global food shortages by developing plants that can be grown in areas that are currently not suitable for agriculture, according to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
Plants can be largely divided into two groups -- glycophytes that easily die under extreme conditions and make up over 98 percent of all plant types, and halophytes that can survive even under extreme conditions.
While analyzing the genome of a halophyte called Thellungiella parvula, researchers led by Yun Dae-jin, a biochemistry professor from South Korea's Gyeongsang National University, confirmed the plant not only has an unusually high number of genes related to environmental stress, but that it also has genes that make it more tolerant to harsh natural conditions.
"The team said the genetic information of halophytes may allow the development of plants that can better survive in extreme enviornments, as well as those thats are more adaptable to climate changes, and thus significantly contributing to solving the problem of food shortages in the future," the ministry said.
Climate change triggered by large amounts of greenhouse gases released into the environment has raised the Earth's temperatures and caused more land to turn into deserts.
The discovery was published Monday on the Web site of the British journal Nature Genetics and will be published in a print edition of the journal in September, according to the ministry.
Yun's paper was co-authored by Prof. Hans J. Bohnert of the University of Illinois and Prof. Ray A. Bressan of Purdue University, as well as Oh Dong-ha, a researcher from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and Hong Hye-won, a doctoral student from Gyeongsang National University.
