GumEraser+

These are awarded to teams that have participated in iGEM, presented their work, and made contributions that future teams can add to.

Peach gummosis leads to bark cracking and the exudation of gummy substances, severely weakening the trees and even causing death.

Peach gummosis can be caused by various factors, including fungal infections and environmental stresses, which lead to the tree exuding gum as a response.

The plant disease triangle is a fundamental concept in plant pathology that illustrates the interaction between three key factors required for a disease to occur: the host plant, the pathogen, and the environment.

By inhibiting chitin synthase, we can disrupt the synthesis of the fungal cell wall, leading to cell lysis and death of the fungal pathogen, while minimizing potential harm to plants as they lack this specific enzyme.

Designing double-stranded RNA for RNA interference targeting Chitin Synthase in pathogenic fungi is a promising strategy for developing targeted fungal control.

On the other side, chitinase is an enzyme produced by host plants, and upregulating its expression can enhance the hosts' resistance to fungal pathogens.

'GumEraser' literally means 'gum eraser', chosen to show our resolve to combat this disease.

We propose to manipulate three key factors required for disease occurrence to prevent peach gummosis:

1. Pathogen: Apply specific RNA-based biopesticides to inhibit the activity of pathogens;
2. Host: Improve and promote disease-resistant host varieties;
3. Environment: Promote pruning (of plants) to improve field ventilation conditions.

The '+' symbol stands for three aspirations in addressing it:

1. Boost farmers' income: Reduce the cost of orchard management, and at the same time increase income by extracting chitinase from leaves.
2. Enhance personal growth: Gaining more thinking skills training and broadening our horizons through this project.
3. Promote knowledge transfer: Transferring the knowledge and skills acquired to other fields.