Seungdon Lee

Characterization of a New Bacteriocin, Carocin D, from Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc21

ABSTRACT Two different bacteriocins, carotovoricin and carocin S1, had been found in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, which causes soft-rot disease in diverse plants. Previously, we reported that the particular strain Pcc21, producing only one high-molecular-weight bacteriocin, carried a new antibacterial activity against the indicator strain Pcc3. Here, we report that this new antibacterial activity is due to a new bacteriocin produced by strain Pcc21 and named carocin D. Carocin D is encoded by the caroDK gene located in the genomic DNA together with the caroDI gene, which seems to encode an immunity protein. N-terminal amino acid sequences of purified carocin D were determined by Edman degradation. In comparison with the primary translation product of caroDK, it was found that 8 amino acids are missing at the N terminus. This finding proved that carocin D is synthesized as a precursor peptide and that 8 amino acids are removed from its N terminus during maturation. Carocin D has two putative translocation domains; the N-terminal and C-terminal domains are homologous to those of Escherichia coli colicin E3 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa S-type pyocin, respectively. When caroDK and caroDI genes were transformed into carocin D-sensitive bacteria such as Pcc3, the bacteria became resistant to this bacteriocin. Carocin D has one putative DNase domain at the extreme C terminus and showed DNase activity in vitro. This bacteriocin had slight tolerance to heat but not to proteases. The caroDK gene was present in only 5 of 54 strains of P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. These results indicate that carocin D is a third bacteriocin found in P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, and this bacteriocin can be readily expressed in carocin D-sensitive nonpathogenic bacteria, which may have high potential as a biological control agent in the field.

Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages specific for Campylobacter jejuni

Human infection by Campylobacter jejuni is mainly through the consumption of contaminated poultry products, which results in gastroenteritis and, rarely, bacteremia and polyneuropathies. In this study, six C. jejuni‐specific bacteriophages (CPS1–6) were isolated by the spot‐on‐the‐lawn technique from chicken samples in Korea and characterized for potential use as biocontrol agents. All isolated bacteriophages exhibited a high specificity, being able to lyse only C. jejuni, but not other Gram–negative bacteria, including C. coli, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Gram–positive bacteria. Bacteriophages contain an icosahedral head and a contractile tail sheath in transmission electron microscopy, and possess ds‐DNA with an average genome size of approximately 145 kb; therefore, all bacteriophages are categorized into the Myoviridae family. Bacterial lysis studies in liquid media revealed that CPS2 could be used to control the growth of C. jejuni.

Characterization of phenotypic variants of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis isolated from Capsicum annuum

Phenotypic variants of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) were isolated from pepper fields and from pepper seeds during quarantine inspections. All strains isolated from pepper (pepper isolates) produced orange-coloured colonies with lower mucoidy than typical Cmm strains isolated from tomato (tomato isolates). However, the results of ELISA, fatty acid analysis, 16S rDNA sequencing, and PCR analysis showed that all pepper isolates were similar enough to be identified as Cmm. In addition to phenotypic variations, the pepper isolates showed different pathogenic and genetic characteristics from tomato isolates from the USA, Europe, or other countries. They could be clearly distinguished in terms of pathogenicity, as they showed increased pathogenicity to pepper but reduced pathogenicity to tomato. Tomato isolates caused strong wilting and canker in tomato, but caused only canker and no wilting in pepper and bell pepper. However, pepper isolates caused no wilting, even in tomato, and only caused canker in the three host plants. In addition, compared to tomato isolates, pepper isolates showed increased colonization efficiency and caused a greater reduction in shoot dry weight in pepper. Pepper and tomato isolates could be separated into two groups according to host origin on the basis of 16S rDNA and ITS sequence analysis. They also showed different rep-PCR genomic fingerprints. All pepper isolates showed higher cellulase activity than tomato isolates on M9CMC plates. However, two plasmid-borne virulence genes of Cmm, pat-1, and celA, were not detected in any pepper isolates by PCR. Furthermore, PCR for pathogenicity-related genes located on a pathogenicity island (PAI) revealed that all tomato isolates were positive for these genes, whereas the pepper isolates did not show any PCR products for the chpC, chpG, ppaA, or tomA genes. Therefore, we suggest that the pepper isolates may represent a separate Cmm population that has evolved within the limits of this host.

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. capsici subsp. nov., causing bacterial canker disease in pepper.

Clavibacter michiganensis is a Gram-stain-positive bacterium with eight subspecies. One of these subspecies is C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, which causes bacterial canker disease in tomato. Bacterial strains showing very similar canker disease symptoms to those of a strain originally classified as C. michiganensis have been isolated from pepper. In this paper, we reclassified strains isolated from pepper. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis with 16S rRNA gene sequences, the strains isolated from pepper were grouped in a separate clade from other subspecies of C. michiganensis. Biochemical, physiological and genetic characteristics of strain PF008T, which is the representative strain of the isolates from pepper, were examined in this study. Based on multi-locus sequence typing and other biochemical and physiological features including colony color, utilization of carbon sources and enzyme activities, strain PF008T was categorically differentiated from eight subspecies of C. michiganensis. Moreover, genome analysis showed that the DNA G+C content of strain PF008T is 73.2 %. These results indicate that PF008T is distinct from other known subspecies of C. michiganensis. Therefore, we propose a novel subspecies, C. michiganensis subsp. capsici, causing bacterial canker disease in pepper, with a type strain of PF008T (=KACC 18448T=LMG 29047T).

Genetic Diversity of Ralstonia solanacearum Strains Isolated from Pepper and Tomato Plants in Korea

A total of 35 strains of Ralstonia solanacearum isolated from wilted pepper and tomato plants in Korea were analyzed for their genetic diversity by bacteriological, pathological and molecular biological approaches. All the strains were identified as R. solanacearum biovar 4 on the basis of physiological and biochemical tests, and species-specific PCR primers. Pathogenicity of the strains was confirmed by inoculating on 4-week-old pepper and tomato seedlings. Using cluster analysis based on repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) genomic fingerprints, R. solanacearum strains isolated from pepper and tomato in Korea divided into 6 groups showing a high degree of genetic diversity at 55% similarity level. The genetic diversify of strains was not significantly correlated with their geographic origins and host plants.

Diversity of PthA Gene of Xanthomonas Strains Causing Citrus Bacterial Canker and its Relationship with Virulence

Several pathotypes have been recognized in citrus bacterial canker, which causing serious damage in citrus cultivation area. To control the disease, it is important to understand the pathological diversity and reason of difference in virulence of the causal pathogen. We analyzed 124 strains of Xanthomonas causing citrus bacterial canker by southern hybridization with an internal 3.4-kb BamHI fragment from pthA gene. Assuming each band represented an intact gene, each strain of Xanthomonas was estimated to have approximately 1 to 4 copies of pthA gene. X. a. pv. citri A type had more than 3 copies of pthA gene, and the number of pthA gene in X. a. pv. citri , and X. a. pv. aurantifolii B, C were different from 1 to 3 according to the strains. When the pthA gene profile was classified into 13 groups according to the number and size of hybridization bands, most of the A types belong to the 3A group, and 4A and 4B type was dominant when they had 4 bands. However, there was no general pattern of difference between the virulence and pthA gene group in this test.

Difference of Physiochemical Characteristics Between Citrus Bacterial Canker Pathotypes and Identification of Korean Isolates with Repetitive Sequence PCRs

The difference of carbon source utilization and fatty acid composition between the pathotypes of Xanthomonas strains, which causing citrus bacterial canker was compared, and the physiochemical characteristics were used to analyze relationship of the strains for the first time. The pattern of several carbon sources utilization and fatty acids composition reliably discriminated the pathotypes of Xanthomonas strains. The dendrogram which was constructed by 95 carbon source utilization profiles differentiated X. axonopodis pv. citri A, and from the other pathotypes. When the dendrogram was drawn by combined analysis of carbon source utilization pattern and fatty acid composition, X. axonopodis pv. aurantifolii B, C and X. axonopodis pv. citrumelo formed a distinct cluster. The difference of carbon source utilization and fatty acid composition could be used effectively for the identification of pathotypes of citrus bacterial canker. The physiochemical characteristics strongly indicated that the strains isolated in Korea belong to X. axonopodis pv. citri A type. The cluster analysis by the band patterns of ERIC-, BOX- and REP-PCR allowed the discrimination of the pathotypes isolated from Korea. However, the rep-PCRs could not differentiate X. axonopodis pv. citri A types from and types. The overall results of metabolic profiles and rep-PCRs strongly indicated that the Korean isolates are X. axonopodis pv. citri A type.

Suppression Effect on Soft-rot by Bacteriocin-producing Avirulent Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc21-M15

Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum causes soft rot disease in diverse plants. Carocin D is bacteriocin that is produced by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc21 strain. Nonpathogenic mutant P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc21-M15 strain was obtained by mutagenesis with Tn5 insertion and screened pathogenesity. P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc21-M15 and E. coli (pRG3431), carocin D gene-transformed E. coli, produce carocin D against P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc3. Pathogenic P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc3 and mixture with Pcc21-M15 or E. coli (pRG3431) were treated with lettuces. Pcc21-M15 and E. coli (pRG3431) effectively suppressed the development of soft-rot disease. While symptoms in 90% of Pcc3-treated lettuces were observed after 3 days, only 25% of Pcc3 and Pcc21-M15-treated lettuces were observed to be infected after 6 days. These results suggest that the nonpathogenic strain P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. Pcc21-M15 and E. coli (pRG3431) are effective to soft-rot disease suppression.

Analysis of the microbial contamination levels in dried red pepper during production

The purpose of this study was to investigate the main source of contamination of dried red pepper by assessing microbial loads on red peppers, washing water, washing machines, harvesting containers, and worker gloves that had come in contact with the dried red pepper. To estimate microbial loads, indicator bacteria (total bacteria, coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli) and pathogenic bacteria (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Clostridium perfringens) were enumerated. The results showed that the numbers of indicator bacteria increased significantly after washing red peppers compared with that before washing (p<0.05). Moreover, E. coli and Listeria spp. were recovered from the red peppers after washing and from the ground water used in the washing process. The number of indicator bacteria on red peppers dried in the green house was lower than that on red peppers dried in a dry oven (p<0.05). However, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, and C. perfringens were not detected. These results suggested that a disinfection technique may be needed during the washing step in order to prevent potential contamination. In addition, hygienic practices during the drying step using the dry oven, such as establishment of an optimal temperature, should be developed to enhance the safety of dried red pepper.

Population changes and growth modeling of Salmonella enterica during alfalfa seed germination and early sprout development

This study examined the effects of alfalfa seed germination on growth of Salmonella enterica. We investigated the population changes of S. enterica during early sprout development. We found that the population density of S. enterica, which was inoculated on alfalfa seeds was increased during sprout development under all experimental temperatures, whereas a significant reduction was observed when S. enterica was inoculated on fully germinated sprouts. To establish a model for predicting S. enterica growth during alfalfa sprout development, the kinetic growth data under isothermal conditions were collected and evaluated based on Baranyi model as a primary model for growth data. To elucidate the influence of temperature on S. enterica growth rates, three secondary models were compared and found that the Arrhenius-type model was more suitable than others. We believe that our model can be utilized to predict S. enterica behavior in alfalfa sprout and to conduct microbial risk assessments.