Scientists at Rothamsted Research, which is strategically supported by BBSRC, in collaboration with other researchers globally have improved an Open Access internet resource that catalogues genes involved in host-pathogen interactions. The Pathogen-Host Interactions database (PHI-base) catalogues 2872 genes and associated information for economically important pathogens and pests.
A paper published in Nucleic Acids Research summarises the improved content and how it can guide research approaches to pathogen control. Organisms that cause disease and epidemics affect crop yields as well as human and animal health.
Molecular biology has advanced our understanding of the genes, proteins and metabolites of the hosts and the pathogens that are involved in the development of disease. The updated PHI-base provides functional information on 2875 genes from 160 pathogens, tested on 110 hosts.