One of them will try to improve the control of diseases in melon and watermelon and the other will look for improved vaccines to fight egg brucellosis.
The Aragon Food Research and Technology Center (CITA) has launched in September of 2023 two new projects called “Knowledge Generation Projects” of the State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research 2021-2023 of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the State Research Agency and the European Regional Development Fund. These projects, which will last four years, have received a financial allocation of almost €400,000.
The first of them is a sub-project led by the researcher of the Department of Plant Science Ana Garcés-Claver “Advances in multidisciplinary and sustainable control of melon and watermelon diseases and water deficit” (WAMEDISS) which is part of the project “Improving tolerance to fungal and viral diseases and stress due to water deficit of melon and watermelon genetic resources: a multidisciplinary and environmentally sustainable approach” (ENREMESAN), led by the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) .
WAMEDISS continues previous activities on the same subject that aim to improve cucurbits (especially melon and watermelon) in terms of resistance to diseases caused by fungi and also against water stress. Cucurbits are the second most economically important vegetable family. However, one of the main limiting factors in the production of these crops is disease, which causes a reduction in production and intensive use of phytochemicals.
The research team of this project, made up of researchers from three institutions (CITA, University of Zaragoza-TCH, University of Valladolid), contributes their knowledge in different aspects of research (genetic resources, development for fungal and viral diseases, use of genetic tools, pathology, antimicrobial compounds from plant extracts) for a multidisciplinary approach for solutions against fungal diseases in the current context of climate change. In addition, the entire work will be carried out in collaboration with the COMAV-UPV Cucurbit Improvement research team and with other national organizations (IHSM La Mayora, IBMCP-CSIC, CEBAS-CSIC) and inter- national (UFERSA-Brazil, CRRHAB – Tunisia).
The objectives of the project range from the study of the epidemiology and biology of the agents that cause the disease to the analysis of resistance, including the development of alternative control strategies. In this last aspect, the use of plant extracts is recommended in addition to the comprehensive control previously proposed through biological control. The development program is organized based on previous advances and considers both the discovery of new sources of resistance due to the availability of germplasm collections and the analysis of candidate genes in selected lines or plan crossings to get into advanced lines for different paths or even commercial types. The expected results will improve the sustainability of these crops.
On the other hand, the researcher from the Department of Animal Science at CITA Pilar Muñoz leads one of the sub-projects of the project “Developing safe vaccines against egg brucellosis: the effectiveness of improved vaccine candidates from B. melitensis and B. ovis and innovative in vitro models (BruVac-Cell), which is developed together with the University of Navarra (UNAV) and the University of Salamanca (USAL).
The ultimate goal of this project is to develop improved, safer and more effective vaccines against egg brucellosis, a disease that causes abortions and genital lesions in livestock and can be caused by two species different bacterial: Brucella melitensis, the main cause of human brucellosis. and one of the most widespread zoonoses in the world; Brucella ovis, which is not zoonotic but causes reproductive failure and economic loss in sheep flocks. The only vaccine available against egg brucellosis (Rev1) protects against both bacteria, but it has safety problems (it is unfortunate in pregnant sheep and stands the streptomycin resistance), so a safer vaccine is needed in the mass vaccination programs required by endemic countries. On the other hand, the use of Rev1 vaccine is prohibited in regions where B. melitensis has been eradicated, which has favored the re-emergence of B. ovis. Therefore, there is a need to develop a specific vaccine against B. ovis infection that is safe and does not interfere with B. melitensis diagnostic surveillance programs. In this project, the knowledge and tools obtained in previous projects will be applied to develop and evaluate safer vaccine candidates against both diseases (B. melitensis and B. ovis).
Last but not least, the “One Health” concept recognizes that human, animal and environmental health are interconnected. In this regard and because antibiotic treatment of human brucellosis is long, expensive and requires a combination of antibiotics to reduce relapse, the study of antibiotic resistance is essential. Therefore, it is also recommended to study the frequency of antibiotic resistance and the mutations associated with it that may exist in Brucella strains that circulate in humans and animals in different places.
2024-10-05 09:07:09
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