Plant Pathology (2012) 61, 648-657

L.N. Sendín, M.P. Filippone, I.G. Orce, L. Rigano, R. Enrique, L. Peña, A.A. Vojnov, M.R. Marano and A.P. Castagnaro (2012)
Transient expression of pepper Bs2 gene in Citrus limon as an approach to evaluate its utility for management of citrus canker disease
Plant Pathology 61 (4), 648-657
Abstract: The pepper Bs2 gene confers resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) pathogenic strains containing the avrBs2 avirulence gene in susceptible pepper and tomato. The avrBs2 gene is highly conserved in the Xanthomonas genus and when bacteria lack this gene their growth in a susceptible host is diminished, indicating that the avrBs2 gene product could confer an adaptive advantage to the pathogen. The avrBs2 of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), cause of citrus canker, shares 96% homology with avrBs2 of Xcv. To evaluate if Bs2 could recognize avrBs2 of Xcc in citrus plants and thereby activate plant defence mechanisms to increase resistance to canker, transient expression experiments were conducted using Agrobacterium tumefaciens in lemon plants subsequently challenged with wildtype Xcc. The results showed that transient expression of Bs2 reduced canker formation in lemon and induced plant defence mechanisms, as shown by callose deposition and PR-1 expression. Moreover, when an avrBs2 mutant of Xcc was used, no decrease in disease symptoms was observed. This work shows that the Bs2 gene from Solanaceae is functional in lemon, a member of the Rutaceae family. Therefore, Bs2 is a potential candidate gene for stable expression in transgenic citrus plants in order to improve resistance to canker disease.
(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): Atilio Pedro Castagnaro

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Xanthomonas citri	Citrus (genus)