Julien Crovadore

Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi causes chestnut canker symptoms in Castanea sativa shoots in Switzerland.

A screening of Castanea sativa scions for grafting for the presence of endophytes showed that the opportunistic fungal pathogen Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi was the most abundant member of the endophytic flora. This fungus is known as a pathogen affecting chestnut fruits in Italy and Australia. Here, we present evidence that it causes cankers very similar to the ones due to Cryphonectria parasitica infection on twigs and scions of chestnut trees. We found natural infections of G. smithogilvyi in healthy grafted plants as well as in scions from chestnut trees. The identity of the fungus isolated from asymptomatic tissues was verified by applying Kochs postulates and corroborated by DNA sequencing of four different gene regions. In contrast to C. parasitica that appears on the bark as yellow to orange pycnidia, stromata and slimy twisted tendrils, G. smithogilvyi forms orange to red and black pycnidia, gray stromata and cream-colored to beige slimy twisted tendrils on the bark. These Swiss strains are closely related to G. smithogilvyi strains from Australia and from New Zealand, Gnomoniopsis sp. and Gnomoniopsis castanea from New Zealand, Italy, France and Switzerland. While the strains from Ticino are genetically very close to G. smithogilvyi and G. castanea from Italy, the differences between the strains from Ticino and Geneva suggest two different origins. The present study supports the hypothesis that a single species named G. smithogilvyi, which is known to be the agent of chestnut rot, also causes wood cankers on chestnut.

Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequence of Arthrospira platensis Strain Paraca, a Cultivated and Edible Cyanobacterium

ABSTRACT Here we report the whole-genome shotgun sequence of a Peruvian strain of Arthrospira platensis (Paraca), a cultivated and edible haloalkaliphilic cyanobacterium of great scientific, technical, and economic potential.

SELECTION AND MASS PRODUCTION OF SANTALUM ALBUM L. CALLI FOR INDUCTION OF SESQUITERPENES

ABSTRACT Young hypocotyl segments obtained from aseptically germinated seeds of Santalum album L. (5 weeks old) were used to induce callus formation. Growth of different calli types was induced on hypocotyls segments under different conditions. Resulting green calli were maintained on MS medium and Gamborg basal medium supplemented with 2,4D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) (0.5 μM) and Kin (Kinetin) (10 μM). Numerous concentrations of 2,4D and Kin were tested in combination with inducers of the sesquiterpene metabolism and one promising callus type was selected for mass production. This interesting type of callus has been used for searching functional genes in the biosynthetic pathway leading to sesquiterpenes molecules.

Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Strain UASWS BA1, a Bacterium Antagonistic to Plant Pathogenic Fungi

ABSTRACT We report here the whole-genome shotgun sequence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain UASWS BA1, isolated from inner wood tissues of a decaying Platanus × acerifolia tree. This strain proved to be antagonistic to several plant pathogenic fungi and oomycetes and can be developed as a biological control agent in agriculture.

Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequence of Pseudomonas viridiflava, a Bacterium Species Pathogenic to Ararabidopsis thaliana.

ABSTRACT We report here the first whole-genome shotgun sequence of Pseudomonas viridiflava strain UASWS38, a bacterium species pathogenic to the biological model plant Arabidopsis thaliana but also usable as a biological control agent and thus of great scientific interest for understanding the genetics of plant-microbe interactions.

Whole-Genome Sequences of Seven Strains of Bacillus cereus Isolated from Foodstuff or Poisoning Incidents.

ABSTRACT We present here the whole shotgun genome sequences of seven strains of Bacillus cereus isolated from foodstuff samples or food poisoning incidents.

Metagenomes and Metatranscriptomes of Activated Sludge from a Sewage Plant, with or without Aerobic Granule Enrichment

ABSTRACT We report here the metagenomes and metatranscriptomes of activated sludge bioreactors, enriched or not enriched with aerobic granules, at an initial state and after 1 month of incubation. Data showed that the added granular biomass expressed higher levels of expression of genes involved in ammonia elimination.

Deeper Insight in Beehives: Metagenomes of Royal Jelly, Pollen, and Honey from Lavender, Chestnut, and Fir Honeydew and Epiphytic and Endophytic Microbiota of Lavender and Rose Flowers

ABSTRACT Microbiota of beehive products are very little known. We report here for the first time six metagenomes of royal jelly, pollen, and different types of honey from wild and cultivated lavender, chestnut, and fir honeydew. Four metagenomes of epiphytic and endophytic microbiota of lavender and rose flowers are also reported.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Bradyrhizobium elkanii Strain UASWS1015, a Highly Ammonia-Tolerant Nitrifying Bacterium

ABSTRACT Bradyrhizobium elkanii UASWS1015 was isolated from a sewage plant in Switzerland. Its genome indicates that it is fully equipped for ammonia assimilation and aromatic compound degradation, and it displays a large type IV secretion system, which characterizes plant-associated microbes. Totally deprived of toxins, it could be considered for agricultural and environmental uses.

First report of Geosmithia langdonii and Geosmithia spp. isolated from a decaying elm (Ulmus minor) in Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract The mortality of a young elm Ulmus minor in 2014 in Geneva prompted a search for the microorganisms potentially involved. Symptoms included foliar chlorosis and wilting followed by defoliation of branches. Wood symptoms included a brown streaking of sap wood and brown stains in trunk and branches. The comparison of the resulting ITS rDNA sequences to the NCBI Nucleotide database allowed to identify 10 different organisms. The genus Geosmithia represented 48% of the isolates belonging to three species: Geosmithia langdonii (7 isolates) and 2 unknown morphologically and genetically different Geosmithia sp. 1 and sp. 2 (4 isolates). Geosmithia species are very little known ascomycetes, which have been recently shown to be opportunistic pathogens on broadleaved trees and conifers, living as saprobes in galleries of many bark beetle species. In the case described here, Geosmithia langdonii, and the unknown Geosmithia species were found in symptomatic wood while bark beetle galleries were found in close regions of the symptomatic wood. Geosmithia langdonii was the major fungus retrieved from the symptomatic wood and could have contributed, along with other identified fungal species, to a pathogenic complex producing symptoms similar to the ones of the Dutch Elm Disease and led to the dieback of this elm tree. Geosmithia langdonii and 2 yet unknown Geosmithia species (sp. 1 and sp. 2), different from any other reported Geosmithia species are reported from an elm tree in Switzerland for the first time.