Team:Aix-Marseille
At the Aix-Marseille University, we have chosen to use synthetic biology to cure trees suffering from a disease caused by a plant pathogen called Xylella fastidiosa.
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350+ host plant species affected -
450 000 acres of olive crops in Italian outbreak area (Apulia region) -
US$ 104 million/year in terms of losses of vines and measures for disease prevention in California
Motivation
Xylella fastidiosa is a major threat for agriculture.
This bacterium infects plants, causing a variety of diseases in wineyards, olive orchards and in over 300 other species. It has been widespread in the Americas for many years and is also present in Asia.
In 2015, more than 450 000 ac of European crops were lost because of this bacterium. Although X. fastidiosa has been recognized as a serious pathogen, there is no effective cure.
In fact, the only way to slow down the propagation of the disease is to burn the infected tree and at risk trees around, and massively use pesticides.
Project
Our project, KILL XYL will be a cure against the disease caused by the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa.
First, we wanted to improve the detection of the disease. Secondly, we want to get rid of the bacterium. Thus we use phages specific to X. fastidiosa, capable to inject toxic genes into it. Finaly, we disrupt the biofilm that causes the plants death, by quenching the quorum sensing of the bacterium and by the use of an enzyme, that destroy the biofilm.
Hence, KILL XYL simply detects, disrupts and kills X. fastidiosa.
Human Practices
The human practice side of our project is crucial to our research. Therefore, we contacted associations of olive growers, to understand their needs and the expectation they have.
We also ask help from various experts to help us on our project. We think that public engagement is important. Thus we create a survey but we also directly contacted the public at different events.
Finally, we tested our product in a model plant and we investigated the legal aspects necessary to get approval for commercialisation in the European Union.
