Current Microbiology (2007) 54, 307-314

Wanfeng Yang, Yan Liu, Lei Chen, Tongchun Gao, Baishi Hu, Dongfang Zhang and Fengquan Liu (2007)
Zinc uptake regulator ( zur ) gene involved in zinc homeostasis and virulence of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae in rice
Current Microbiology 54 (4), 307-314
Abstract: Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial leaf blight, one of the most widespread and destructive bacterial diseases in rice. In order to understand the gene of zinc uptake regulator (zur) involved in virulence of the pathogen in rice, we generated a mutant OSZRM by homologous suicide plasmid integration. The mutant failed to grow in NYGB medium supplemented with Zn²⁺ or Fe³⁺ at a concentration of 500 μM or 6 mM, whereas the wild-type strain grew well at the same conditions. The zur mutant was hypersensitive to hydrogen peroxide and exhibited reduction catalase activity and the production of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS). Interestingly, the mutant showed a reduction in virulence on rice but still kept triggering hypersensitive response (HR) in tobacco. When the mutant was complemented with the zur gene, the response was recovered to wild-type. These results suggested that zur gene is a functional member of the Zur regulator family that controls zinc and iron homeostasis, oxidative stress, and EPS production, which is necessary for virulence in X. oryzae pv. oryzae.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Fengquan Liu, Baishi Hu

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Xanthomonas oryzae	Rice (Oryza)