UNBC Participates in Groundbreaking Pine Beetle Genetics Research
Media Release
January 15, 2008
| Three UNBC professors will be participating in a landmark researchproject that will identify the genetic interactions between themountain pine beetle, the fungus it carries, and pine trees. The $4million research project is being funded by Genome BC and GenomeAlberta and is also involving researchers at UBC, the University ofAlberta, and the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre in Vancouver. The research will produce the first genome sequence of the mountainpine beetle, thousands of which are being collected from the areaaround Prince George for the analysis. “By mapping large parts of the pine beetle genome, we’ll be able to seehow different genes are expressed in pine beetles both at differentstages of their lives and when they’re exposed to differentenvironmental conditions,” says Dezene Huber, a Canada Research Chairat UNBC and one of the three UNBC researchers participating in theproject. “This will give us new information about how pine beetles areable to withstand a tree’s natural defenses and how they can toleratecold weather, for example.” Other UNBC participants in theresearch are Biology professor Brent Murray and Brian Aukema of theCanadian Forest Service who is stationed at UNBC. The pine beetle infestation throughout British Columbia is believed tobe the largest Canadian insect infestation in recorded history. Todate, it has killed well over half of the mature pine trees in thecentral and southern interior. “While this research is focusing on the pine beetle, the fungalpathogen it carries, and the pine trees it kills, the results will befar-reaching,” says Dr. Huber. “For example, the genetic similaritiesbetween the mountain pine beetle and other bark beetles will ensurethat our results will be applied to other forest pests. No other barkbeetles have ever been analyzed in this way but it would be naïve tothink that the pine beetle is the only climate-related threat to ourforests.” Other genetic research underway at UNBC is examining the pine beetle.These projects are looking at past outbreaks, beetle dispersal to newareas, and the potential adaptability of the pine beetle to sprucetrees. Contact: Dezene Huber, Canada Research Chair in Forest Entomology and Chemical Ecology – 250.960.5119 Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622 |
Media Downloads Click on a thumbnail below to access the high-resolution file. From left: Brian Aukema, Dezene Huber, and Brent Murray.
Broadcast-quality video footage is also available. Contact the UNBC Office of Communications for details: 250-960-5622. |
