Ewa Lojkowska

Dickeya solani sp. nov., a pectinolytic plant pathogenic bacterium isolated from potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Pectinolytic bacteria have been recently isolated from diseased potato plants exhibiting blackleg and slow wilt symptoms found in a number of European countries and Israel. These Gram-reaction-negative, motile, rods were identified as belonging to the genus Dickeya, previously the Pectobacterium chrysanthemi complex (Erwinia chrysanthemi), on the basis of production of a PCR product with the pelADE primers, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, fatty acid methyl esterase analysis, the production of phosphatases and the ability to produce indole and acids from α-methylglucoside. Differential physiological assays used previously to differentiate between strains of E. chrysanthemi, showed that these isolates belonged to biovar 3. Eight of the isolates, seven from potato and one from hyacinth, were analysed together with 21 reference strains representing all currently recognized taxa within the genus Dickeya. The novel isolates formed a distinct genetic clade in multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using concatenated sequences of the intergenic spacer (IGS), as well as dnaX, recA, dnaN, fusA, gapA, purA, rplB, rpoS and gyrA. Characterization by whole-cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, pulsed field gel electrophoresis after digestion of whole-genome DNA with rare-cutting restriction enzymes, average nucleotide identity analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization studies, showed that although related to Dickeya dadantii, these isolates represent a novel species within the genus Dickeya, for which the name Dickeya solani sp. nov. (type strain IPO 2222(T) = LMG25993(T) = NCPPB4479(T)) is proposed.

Induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cells through the ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway by ramentaceone from Drosera aliciae.

Ramentaceone (1) is a naphthoquinone constituent of Drosera aliciae that exhibits potent cytotoxic activity against various tumor cell lines. However, its molecular mechanism of cell death induction has still not been determined. The present study demonstrates that 1 induces apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells. Typical morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis were observed in 1-treated cells. Compound 1 induced a concentration-dependent increase in the sub-G1 fraction of the cell cycle. A decrease in the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) was also observed. Furthermore, 1 reduced the ratio of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 to pro-apoptotic Bax and Bak, induced cytochrome c release, and increased the activity of caspase 3. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected in 1-treated HL-60 cells, which was attenuated by the pretreatment of cells with a free radical scavenger, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). NAC also prevented the increase of the sub-G1 fraction induced by 1. These results indicate that ramentaceone induces cell death through the ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway.

Plumbagin induces apoptosis in Her2-overexpressing breast cancer cells through the mitochondrial-mediated pathway.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death-related cancers in women. Approximately 30% of breast cancers overexpress the Her2 oncogene, which is associated with a poor prognosis and increased resistance to chemotherapy. Plumbagin (1), a constituent of species in the plant genera Drosera and Plumbago, displays antineoplastic activity toward various cancers. The present study was aimed at determining the anticancer potential of 1 toward Her2-overexpressing breast cancer cells and defining the mode of cell death induced in these cells. The results showed that 1 exhibited high antiproliferative activity toward the Her2-overexpressing cell lines SKBR3 and BT474. The antiproliferative activity of 1 was associated with apoptosis-mediated cell death, as revealed by caspase activation and an increase in the sub-G1 fraction of the cell cycle. Compound 1 increased the levels of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family of proteins and decreased the level of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein in SKBR3 and BT474 cells. Thus, these findings indicate that 1 induces apoptosis in Her2-overexpressing breast cancers through the mitochondrial-mediated pathway and suggest its potential for further investigation for the treatment of Her2-overexpressing breast cancer.

APPLICATION OF RAPD IN THE DETERMINATION OF GENETIC FIDELITY IN MICROPROPAGATED DROSERA PLANTLETS

SummaryRandom amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to verify the clonal fidelity of two micropropagated Drosera species, D. anglica and D. binata, which were regenerated by adventitious budding from leaf explants and shoot tips, respectively. Twenty arbitrary decamers were used to screen 15 randomly selected plantlets of each species. No genetic variation was detected among D. binata regenerants, whereas a 0.08% polymorphism frequency was estimated for D. anglica plantlets. These results indicate that the regeneration of plants through shoot-tip culture is a low-risk method for generating genetic variability, whereas material regenerated through leaf explants requires further verification.

Detection, identification and differentiation of Pectobacterium and Dickeya species causing potato blackleg and tuber soft rot: a review.

The soft rot Enterobacteriaceae (SRE) Pectobacterium and Dickeya species (formerly classified as pectinolytic Erwinia spp.) cause important diseases on potato and other arable and horticultural crops. They may affect the growing potato plant causing blackleg and are responsible for tuber soft rot in storage thereby reducing yield and quality. Efficient and cost-effective detection and identification methods are essential to investigate the ecology and pathogenesis of the SRE as well as in seed certification programmes. The aim of this review was to collect all existing information on methods available for SRE detection. The review reports on the sampling and preparation of plant material for testing and on over thirty methods to detect, identify and differentiate the soft rot and blackleg causing bacteria to species and subspecies level. These include methods based on biochemical characters, serology, molecular techniques which rely on DNA sequence amplification as well as several less-investigated ones.

Direct regeneration of Drosera from leaf explants and shoot tips

An efficient protocol for the micropropagation of Drosera anglica, D. binata and D. cuneifolia is described. Proliferation was obtained from leaf segments and shoot tips, which served as initial explants. The regeneration capacity of explants was influenced by factors such as nutrient media, concentrations of growth regulators and the type of medium (liquid or solid). The highest number of plants regenerating from D. binata explants was obtained on the growth regulator-free Vacin and Went medium. In the case of D. anglica the highest proliferation rate was obtained on the Fast medium supplemented with 0.05 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 0.005 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), whereas for D. cuneifolia the optimal regeneration medium proved to be 1/2 MS with the growth regulator supplementation estimated at 0.2 μM BA and 0.2 μM NAA. Liquid media significantly increased the regeneration potential of D. anglica and D. binata explants.

Inactivation of AHLs by Ochrobactrum sp. A44 depends on the activity of a novel class of AHL acylase

The soil isolate Ochrobactrum sp. A44 inactivates N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum sensing signal molecules and is capable of quenching the AHL-dependent virulence of Pectobacterium carotovorum in planta. To characterize this AHL inactivating activity, Ochrobactrum cell extracts were prepared and their capacity to degrade a broad range of AHLs was determined. AHLs with acyl chains ranging from C4 to C14 with or without 3-oxo or 3-hydroxy substituents were all inactivated to varying extents; long chain AHLs were generally more susceptible than short chain compounds irrespective of the three position substituent. HPLC and LC-tandem mass spectrometry of the AHL degradation products revealed that the AHL inactivating activity present in the Ochrobactrum cell extract cleaved the AHL amide bond. To identify the gene(s) responsible for AHL degradation, Ochrobactrum sp. A44 was subjected to random transposon (Tn) mutagenesis and the resulting mutants screened for the loss of AHL acylase activity. The Tn insertion in mutant A6731 was mapped to a gene termed aiiO, the translated product of which belongs to the α/β hydrolase superfamily which constitutes a novel type of AHL acylase.

Antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the secondary metabolites from in vitro cultures of the Alice sundew (Drosera aliciae)

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant as well as the antibacterial properties of secondary metabolites obtained from Drosera aliciae (Alice sundew) plants grown in vitro and to examine the mechanism of their antimicrobial action. Bactericidal activity of extracts from D. aliciae, as well as pure ramentaceone (naphthoquinone), which is present in this plant, were examined against human pathogenic strains of micro‐organisms that are both resistant and susceptible to antibiotics. A chloroform extract proved to be more effective than a methanol preparation against all of the tested strains, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. The lowest minimal‐bactericidal‐concentration value was in the case of Staphylococcus aureus (25–50 mg fresh weight·ml−1). The influence of D. aliciae extracts and ramentaceone on the synthesis of DNA, RNA or proteins in cultures of Enterococcus faecalis was estimated by measurement of the incorporation of the radioactively labelled precursors [3H]thymidine, [3H]uridine or [3H]leucine respectively. The methanol extract of D. aliciae, except for a moderate effect on DNA synthesis, had no influence on RNA and protein synthesis. The chloroform preparation caused about a 75% decrease in [3H]uridine incorporation in comparison with the control after 60 min and a significant diminution in DNA and protein synthesis (44 and 30% respectively). Ramentaceone also decreased DNA and RNA synthesis, but less efficiently than did the chloroform extract, and it caused no changes in [3H]leucine incorporation. The methanol extract from D. aliciae proved to be an effective antioxidant in both the DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐10‐picrylhydrazyl free radical) and the FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assay, with the activities exceeding those of well‐known antioxidants, namely the flavonoids. The chloroform extract and ramentaceone showed no antioxidative properties.

Regulators involved in Dickeya solani virulence, genetic conservation, and functional variability.

Bacteria from the genus Dickeya (formerly Erwinia chrysanthemi) are plant pathogens causing severe diseases in many economically important crops. A majority of the strains responsible for potato disease in Europe belong to a newly identified Dickeya solani species. Although some ecological and epidemiological studies have been carried out, little is known about the regulation of D. solani virulence. The characterization of four D. solani strains indicates significant differences in their virulence on potato, although they are genetically similar based on genomic fingerprinting profiles. A phenotypic examination included an analysis of virulence on potato; growth rate in culture; motility; Fe3+ chelation; and pectate lyase, cellulase, protease, biosurfactant, and blue pigment production. Mutants of four D. solani strains were constructed by inactivating the genes coding either for one of the main negative regulators of D. dadantii virulence (kdgR, pecS, and pecT) or for the synthesis and perception of signaling molecules (expI and expR). Analysis of these mutants indicated that PecS, PecT, and KdgR play a similar role in both species, repressing, to different degrees, the synthesis of virulence factors. The thermoregulator PecT seems to be a major regulator of D. solani virulence. This work also reveals the role of quorum sensing mediated by ExpI and ExpR in D. solani virulence on potato.

Simultaneous detection of major blackleg and soft rot bacterial pathogens in potato by multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for simultaneous, fast and reliable detection of the main soft rot and blackleg potato pathogens in Europe has been developed. It utilises three pairs of primers and enables detection of three groups of pectinolytic bacteria frequently found in potato, namely: Pectobacterium atrosepticum, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum together with Pectobacterium wasabiae and Dickeya spp. in a multiplex PCR assay. In studies with axenic cultures of bacteria, the multiplex assay was specific as it gave positive results only with strains of the target species and negative results with 18 non-target species of bacteria that can possibly coexist with pectinolytic bacteria in a potato ecosystem. The developed assay could detect as little as 0.01 ng µL–1 of Dickeya sp. genomic DNA, and down to 0.1 ng µL–1 of P. atrosepticum and P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum genomic DNA in vitro. In the presence of competitor genomic DNA, isolated from Pseudomonas fluorescens cells, the sensitivity of the multiplex PCR decreased tenfold for P. atrosepticum and Dickeya sp., while no change was observed for P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and P. wasabiae. In spiked potato haulm and tuber samples, the threshold level for target bacteria was 101 cfu mL–1 plant extract (102 cfu g–1 plant tissue), 102 cfu mL–1 plant extract (103 cfu g–1 plant tissue), 103 cfu mL–1 plant extract (104 cfu g–1 plant tissue), for Dickeya spp., P. atrosepticum and P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum/P. wasabiae, respectively. Most of all, this assay allowed reliable detection and identification of soft rot and blackleg pathogens in naturally infected symptomatic and asymptomatic potato stem and progeny tuber samples collected from potato fields all over Poland.