New Phytologist (2012) 196, 1182-1196

Isabel M. Matas, Lotte Lambertsen, Luis Rodríguez-Moreno and Cayo Ramos (2012)
Identification of novel virulence genes and metabolic pathways required for full fitness of Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi in olive (Olea europaea) knots
New Phytologist 196 (4), 1182-1196
Abstract: Comparative genomics and functional analysis of Pseudomonas syringae and related pathogens have mainly focused on diseases of herbaceous plants; however, there is a general lack of knowledge about the virulence and pathogenicity determinants required for infection of woody plants.
Here, we applied signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) to Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi during colonization of olive (Olea europaea) knots, with the goal of identifying the range of genes linked to growth and symptom production in its plant host.
A total of 58 different genes were identified, and most mutations resulted in hypovirulence in woody olive plants. Sequence analysis of STM mutations allowed us to identify metabolic pathways required for full fitness of P. savastanoi in olive and revealed novel mechanisms involved in the virulence of this pathogen, some of which are essential for full colonization of olive knots by the pathogen and for the lysis of host cells.
This first application of STM to a P. syringae-like pathogen provides confirmation of functional capabilities long believed to play a role in the survival and virulence of this group of pathogens but not adequately tested before, and unravels novel factors not correlated previously with the virulence of other plant or animal bacterial pathogens.
(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): Cayo Ramos

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.
	Pseudomonas savastanoi	Olive (Olea europaea)