Molecular Plant Pathology (2016) 17, 236-246

Imene Mensi, Jean-Heinrich Daugrois, Isabelle Pieretti, Daniel Gargani, Laura A. Fleites, Julie Noell, Francois Bonnot, Dean W. Gabriel and Philippe Rott (2016)
Surface polysaccharides and quorum sensing are involved in the attachment and survival of Xanthomonas albilineans on sugarcane leaves
Molecular Plant Pathology 17 (2), 236-246
Abstract: Xanthomonas albilineans, the causal agent of sugarcane leaf scald, is a bacterial plant pathogen that is mainly spread by infected cuttings and contaminated harvesting tools. However, some strains of this pathogen are known to be spread by aerial means and are able to colonize the phyllosphere of sugarcane before entering the host plant and causing disease. The objective of this study was to identify the molecular factors involved in the survival or growth of X. albilineans on sugarcane leaves. We developed a bioassay to test for the attachment of X. albilineans on sugarcane leaves using tissue-cultured plantlets grown in vitro. Six mutants of strain XaFL07-1 affected in surface polysaccharide production completely lost their capacity to survive on the sugarcane leaf surface. These mutants produced more biofilm in vitro and accumulated more cellular poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate than the wild-type strain. A mutant affected in the production of small molecules (including potential biosurfactants) synthesized by non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) attached to the sugarcane leaves as well as the wild-type strain. Surprisingly, the attachment of bacteria on sugarcane leaves varied among mutants of the rpf gene cluster involved in bacterial quorum sensing. Therefore, quorum sensing may affect polysaccharide production, or both polysaccharides and quorum sensing may be involved in the survival or growth of X. albilineans on sugarcane leaves.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Jean Heinrich Daugrois, Dean W. Gabriel

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 albilineans	Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)