09 17 07  |  ST. LOUIS

Divergence Receives NSF Grant to Develop RNA Interference Technology for Parasite-Resistant Crops, Including Corn

Divergence, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the amount of $100,000. The grant, entitled "Control of Lesion Nematodes by RNA Interference," is focused on the development of crops, including corn, that are resistant to damage caused by lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus species). These crops would express double-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) in their root systems to specifically silence the expression of genes in the invading parasitic nematode, a process known as RNA interference (RNAi).

Lesion nematodes are microscopic worms that weaken the root systems of crops, thereby reducing the movement of water and nutrients in them. Lesion nematodes parasitize dozens of crops, including carrots, grapes, and rice, costing growers billions of dollars each year due to reductions in yields. Lesion nematodes are particularly important in corn where they are highly prevalent and where there is no technology currently available to allow corn to resist such parasitic infections.

“Divergence’s nematode resistance program has the potential for application to many crops,” said James P. McCarter, M.D., Ph.D., Divergence’s president and chief scientific officer. “Applying it to corn would be significant, increasing crop yields at a time when corn demand is reaching record highs due to expanded uses of corn for food, feed, fuel, and industrial applications.”

RNAi is a fundamental mechanism of gene regulation triggered by double-stranded RNA and first described in the model nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans by Craig C. Mello, Ph.D. and Andrew Z. Fire, Ph.D., a discovery for which they were awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Dr. Mello has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Divergence since 2001 and is an important advisor to the company on strategies for utilizing RNAi.

“Divergence was an early adopter of RNAi as a research tool and has made substantial advances in applying this approach to parasite control,” said Dr. McCarter. “Divergence has brought together the team and resources necessary to succeed in the application of RNAi to the control of plant pathogens and improved yield in major crops.”

About Divergence

Divergence is a research and development company dedicated to the discovery of effective and ecologically sound strategies for the control of parasites and other pests. The company’s initial focus is on parasitic nematodes, one of the world’s major pest groups. Nematodes are roundworms that cause billions of dollars in damage annually to numerous crops, including soybeans, corn, cotton, strawberries, and bananas. Major nematode-induced human diseases, besides lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, include hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm. Nematodes also cause widespread disease in animals, including intestinal worms in livestock and pets. Filarial parasites of animals include canine and feline heartworm.

To learn more about Divergence, please visitwww.divergence.com.

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