Fusarium Vascular Infection of Oil Palm： Epidemiology, Molecular Diagnostic Tools and the Potential of Fusarium Suppressive Soil in Malaysia

Vascular wilt disease caused by Foe （Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis） invades the host xylem and causes a devastating disease of oil palm in west and central Africa. This disease has not been reported in Southeast Asia, in spite of long term importation for breeding purposes of African seed and pollen, shown in this laboratory at the University of Bath to be contaminated with Foe disease epidemiology was recently studied in plantations in Ghana. Infection mainly occurred in clusters, implying root-root transmission rather than aerial spread by spores. Molecular diagnostic tools has being developed for： （1） rapid detection and quantification of Foe in plant tissue, soil, seed and pollen for quarantine purposes in order to prevent transcontinental spread of Foe; and （2） to test efficacy of putative disease resistant or tolerant palm genotypes. We have investigated the possibility of Foe-suppressive soils in Malaysia in order to explain the non-appearance of this vascular disease there and possibly to reveal other potential biocontrol agents. The explanation as to why Malaysia has not yet attained the disease is likely to revolve around the soil properties, in particular the microflora. This review reported that greater disease severity based on visual symptoms occurred in autoclaved soils and compost than in untreated soils when oil palm seedlings artificially infected with Foe.

Overview of Molecular Typing Tools for The Characterization of Salmonella enterica in Malaysia

Salmonella is a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae. This genus comprises two species, namely Salmonella enterica and Salmonella bongori. Salmonella enterica is further divided into six subspecies, namely enterica, salamae, arizonae,

New tools,new tick-borne diseases?

Tick-borne diseases(TBDs) are a major public health concern that has increased in the past three decades. Nevertheless, emerging or reemerging TBDs may be still misdiagnosed. Molecular biology techniques for the screening of ticks, use of "Omics" approaches and the incorporation of analytical methods such as mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance, to the study of ticks and their associated pathogens or potential pathogens are promising tools for a more accurate differential diagnosis of TBDs. However, this huge amount of data needs to be carefully interpreted before being incorporated to the routine of clinical practice. In the meantime, a clinical approach and high level of suspicion keep being essential for the diagnosis and proper handling of TBDs.

Biochemical and molecular changes in peach fruit exposed to cold stress conditions

Storage or transportation temperature is very important for preserving the quality of fruit.However,low temperature in sensitive fruit such as peach can induce loss of quality.Fruit exposed to a specific range of temperatures and for a longer period can show chilling injury(CI)symptoms.The susceptibility to CI at low temperature varies among cultivars and genetic backgrounds.Along with agronomic management,appropriate postharvest management can limit quality losses.The importance of correct temperature management during postharvest handling has been widely demonstrated.Nowadays,due to long-distance markets and complex logistics that require multiple actors,the management of storage/transportation conditions is crucial for the quality of products reaching the consumer.Peach fruit exposed to low temperatures activate a suite of physiological,metabolomic,and molecular changes that attempt to counteract the negative effects of chilling stress.In this review an overview of the factors involved,and plant responses is presented and critically discussed.Physiological disorders associated with CI generally only appear after the storage/transportation,hence early detection methods are needed to monitor quality and detect internal changes which will lead to CI development.CI detection tools are assessed:they need to be easy to use,and preferably non-destructive to avoid loss of products.

Advances in the development of molecular genetic tools for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a Gram-positive bacterium of great clinical relevance, is a lethal pathogen owing to its complex physiological characteristics and development of drug resistance. Several molecular genetic tools have been developed in the past few decades to study this microorganism. These tools have been instrumental in understanding how M. tuberculosis became a successful pathogen. Advanced molecular genetic tools have played a significant role in exploring the complex pathways involved in M. tuberculosis pathogenesis. Here, we review various molecular genetic tools used in the study of M. tuberculosis. Further, we discuss the applications of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat interference（CRISPRi）, a novel technology recently applied in M. tuberculosis research to study target gene functions. Finally, prospective outcomes of the applications of molecular techniques in the field of M. tuberculosis genetic research are also discussed.