Miss Phia Van Coller

Hons Student
Tree Protection Co-operative Programme

Research Interests

I completed my degree in Microbiology in 2009 and was fascinated by the diversity of microbiology.

In 2010 I did my Honours degree in Microbiology, focussing on the pitch canker fungus (Fusarium
circinatum) that is responsible for major pine tree losses. We aimed to identify genes that contribute
to vegetative compatibility and to map these genes to a genetic linkage map. Seeing as a genetic
linkage map of F. circinatum is not yet available, AFLP markers were developed that spanned the
genome as to allow the development of a low density linkage map. Vegetative compatibility is the
ability of a fungus to recognize self and non-self and is controlled by het and vic loci. When alleles
of two individuals differ at these loci the hyphal fusion product is rejected. This rejection event
resembles programmed cell death and opens a possible route for control when manipulated.

Currently, I am working on my MSc, still focusing on genetic aspects of F. circinatum. Seeing as the
previously constructed linkage map’s density is questionable we aim to construct a high density
genetic linkage map using SNP markers. These SNPs will be identified and scored using Illumina
sequencing technology. In addition to this, the genomic mutation rate will be determined which
could possibly aid in the better understanding of evolutionary processes.