Katarina Gasic

Characterization of Xanthomonas euvesicatoria strains pathogens of pepper in Serbia

During spring and summer of 2008, 101 bacterial strains was isolated from the diseased pepper leaves collected from different pepper growing areas in the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this research was to characterize the isolated strains and determine their taxonomic position according to the most recent nomenclature. Pathogenic, biochemical and physiological characteristics of isolated bacteria were tested using standard bacteriological tests. The pathogen races were determined according to the reaction of differential varieties of Early Calwonder (ECW), their isogenic lines (ECW-10R, ECW-20R, ECW-30R) and Capsicum pubescens. The sensitivity of strains to bactericides was studied in vitro by culturing bacteria on sucrose pepton agar (SPA) plates, amended with filter-sterilized aqueous solution of streptomycin and kasugamycin (50, 100, 200 ppm) or copper-sulphate (100, 200 ppm). Based on pathogenic, biochemical and physiological characteristics, the investigated strains belonged to Xanthomonas euvesicatoria. The reaction of pepper differential varieties indicated that these strains belonged to pepper races P1, P3, P7, P8. Streptomycin resistant strains were not detected, but 6 strains were resistant to kasugamycin (50 ppm) and 13 strains to copper-sulphate (200 ppm), indicating bacterial resistance development.

Characterization and phylogenetic diversity of Agrobacterium vitis from Serbia based on sequence analysis of 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region

Serious outbreaks of grapevine crown gall disease were observed in major Serbian viticultural regions during the last five years. Tumorigenic Agrobacterium vitis was identified as a causal agent by using conventional bacteriological and molecular tests. The 36 studied strains of A. vitis showed homogeneous biochemical and physiological characteristics, but were heterogeneous in their pathogenic properties, especially on tomato and sunflower. Furthermore, genetic differences related to chromosomal and plasmid DNA were observed. The Ti plasmid of 35 strains was classified as the octopine/cucumopine (O/C) type, whereas one was classified as the vitopine (V) type. The O/C strains were further divided into O/C-1 and O/C-2 groups based on PCR analysis. Moreover, the sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA ITS region provided robust and precise delineation of studied strains. Although a high level of genetic diversity in A. vitis strains from Serbia was revealed by using this approach, their genotypic relatedness with the strains from other countries suggested their common origin. Also, association between the chromosomal and plasmid DNA was determined for some phylogenetic groups and clusters.

Draft Genome Sequences of Agrobacterium nepotum Strain 39/7T and Agrobacterium sp. Strain KFB 330

ABSTRACT Tumorigenic strains of Agrobacterium spp. are responsible for crown gall disease of numerous plant species. We present here draft genome sequences of nonpathogenic Agrobacterium nepotum strain 39/7T (CFBP 7436T, LMG 26435T), isolated from crown gall tumor on Prunus cerasifera, and tumorigenic Agrobacterium sp. strain KFB 330 (CFBP 8308, LMG 28674), isolated from galls on raspberry.

Exploring diversity of Erwinia amylovora population in Serbia by conventional and automated techniques and detection of new PFGE patterns

Forty Erwinia amylovora strains originating from different host plants and locations in Serbia and one strain from Montenegro were characterized by conventional, automated and molecular techniques. All strains were Gram-negative, nonfluorescent, facultative anaerobes, oxidase negative, levan positive, produced necrotic lesions followed by bacterial exudate on artificially inoculated immature pear fruits and caused HR on tobacco. Based on carbon source utilization, all strains tested with the Biolog system were identified as E. amylovora. Based on fatty acid profiles all tested strains clustered into three groups in which strains from north Serbia differed from strains isolated in central and south parts of the country. Restriction analysis of genomic DNA using XbaI and PFGE resulted in six different patterns differentiating the strains into six groups. Most of the investigated strains clustered in one group having the pattern type similar to Pt2 group described earlier as dominant in East Europe and the Mediterranean region. Two strains showed PFGE pattern similar to the previously described Pt3 pattern and one strain had pattern similar to Pt6. Based on size and number of the bands, new restriction patterns, assigned as Pt7, Pt8 and Pt9 were observed. PFGE results showed that the E. amylovora population in Serbia is not homogenous and was possibly introduced from different directions. This is the first characterization of E. amylovora collection of strains from Serbia using fatty acid analysis and PFGE.

Complete Genome of the Xanthomonas euvesicatoria Specific Bacteriophage KΦ1, Its Survival and Potential in Control of Pepper Bacterial Spot

Xanthomonas euvesicatoria phage KΦ1, a member of Myoviridae family, was isolated from the rhizosphere of pepper plants showing symptoms of bacterial spot. The phage strain expressed antibacterial activity to all X. euvesicatoria strains tested and did not lyse other Xanthomonas spp., nor other less related bacterial species. The genome of KΦ1 is double-stranded DNA of 46.077 bp including 66 open reading frames and an average GC content of 62.9%, representing the first complete genome sequence published for a phage infecting xanthomonads associated with pepper or tomato. The highest genome similarity was observed between phage KΦ1 and the Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae specific phage OP2. On the other hand, when compared with other members of the genus Bcep78virus, the genome similarity was lower. Forty-four (67%) predicted KΦ1 proteins shared homology with Xanthomonas phage OP2, while 20 genes (30%) were unique to KΦ1. Phage KΦ1, which is chloroform resistant and stable in different media and in the pH range 5-11, showed a high titer storage ability for at least 2 years at +4°C. Copper-hydroxide and copper-oxychloride reduced phage activity proportionally to the used concentrations and the exposure time. UV light was detrimental to the phage strain, but skim milk plus sucrose formulation extended its survival in vitro. The phages survived for at least 7 days on the surface of pepper leaves in the greenhouse, showing the ability to persist on the plant tissue without the presence of the host bacterium. Results of three repeated experiments showed that foliar applications of the unformulated KΦ1 phage suspension effectively controlled pepper bacterial spot compared to the standard treatment and the untreated control. The integration of the phage KΦ1 and copper-hydroxide treatments resulted in an increased efficacy compared to the copper-hydroxide alone.

Induced plant resistance.

Plants have evolved different strategies to protect themselves against pathogen infections. These strategies are classified as either passive or active, depending on whether they are constitutive barriers or triggered upon pathogen attack. Induced plant resistance is a type of active resistance and is defined as a state of enhanced defensive capacity developed by a plant when appropriately stimulated by biological agents or environmental stress. Different types of induced resistance have been defined based on differences in signaling pathways and spectra of effectiveness. First type is Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) which occurs in plants following activation of defense mechanisms triggered by contact with a plant pathogenic or feeding agent. SAR requires accumulation of signal molecule salicylic acid and is associated with the induction of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. In contrast, second type - Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) is induced by selected strains of non-pathogenic plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPR) and regulated by jasmonic acid and ethylene. Both SAR and ISR require the function of the regulatory protein NPR1. In addition to biological agents, some chemical compounds can induce resistance of plants as well. Great progress has been made in recent years in understanding the physiological and biochemical basis of SAR and ISR, which led to their commercial use in plant protection.

Differentiation of phytopathogenic Agrobacterium spp.

Due to the difficulties in differentiation of phytopathogenic Agrobacterium spp. and lack of a standardized protocol, we carried out selection and evaluation of suitable methods based on the bacterial physiological, genetic and pathogenic properties. Strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, A. rhizogenes and A. vitis were differentiated using standard bacteriological and molecular methods. The biochemical and physiological tests confirmed authenticity of the strains. Two duplex PCR methods were conducted with four different primer pairs. In all strains, presence of plasmid virD2 and virC pathogenicity genes was detected. Chromosomal pehA gene was determined in A. vitis strain. Pathogenicity was confirmed on carrot slices and young plants of tomato and sunflower. Strains of A. tumefaciens and A. vitis were pathogenic on all test plants, while strain of A. rhizogenes induced characteristic symptoms only on carrot slices. The tests used in this study provided reliable discrimination between the three species and confirmed their identity as tumorigenic (Ti) Agrobacterium tumefaciens and A. vitis, and rhizogenic (Ri) A. rhizogenes.

Fatty acid analysis of Erwinia amylovora from Serbia and Montenegro.

Automated method of fatty acid analysis was used to identify and study heterogeneity of 41 Erwinia amylovora strains, originating from 8 plant species grown in 13 locations in Serbia and one in Montenegro. All strains contained 14:0 3OH fatty acid, characteristic for the “amylovora” group. According to fatty acid composition 39 strains were identified as E. amylovora as the first choice from the database. Due to their specific fatty acid composition, two strains were identified as E. amylovora, but as a second choice. Fatty acid analysis also showed that E. amylovora population from Serbia could be differentiated in three groups, designated in this study as α, β and γ. All strains originating from central or south Serbia, as well as four strains from north Serbia clustered into group α. Group β and γ contained only strains isolated in northern Serbia (Vojvodina). The results show that E. amylovora population in this area is heterogeneous and indicate pathogen introduction from different directions. Fatty acid analysis enabled identification at species level, as well as new insights of heterogeneity of E. amylovora population.