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News From the Field

Genome of Irish Potato Famine Pathogen Decoded


September 9, 2009

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An international research team has decoded the genome of the notorious organism that triggered the Irish potato famine in the mid-19th century and now threatens this season's tomato and potato crops across much of the US. The study reveals an unusually large genome size -- more than twice that of closely related species -- and an extraordinary genome structure, which together appear to enable the rapid evolution of genes, particularly those involved in plant infection.Full Story

Source
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

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