Pseudomonas viridiflava, a Multi Host Plant Pathogen with Significant Genetic Variation at the Molecular Level

Panagiotis F. Sarris,Evaggelia Mpalantinaki,Filippos Ververidis,Emmanouil A. Trantas,Dimitrios E. Goumas,Zhengguang Zhang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036090

Panagiotis F. Sarris, Evaggelia Mpalantinaki + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036090

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Apr 27, 2012
Citations: 89	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Hellenic Mediterranean University

Abstract

The pectinolytic species Pseudomonas viridiflava has a wide host range among plants, causing foliar and stem necrotic lesions and basal stem and root rots. However, little is known about the molecular evolution of this species. In this study we investigated the intraspecies genetic variation of P. viridiflava amongst local (Cretan), as well as international isolates of the pathogen. The genetic and phenotypic variability were investigated by molecular fingerprinting (rep-PCR) and partial sequencing of three housekeeping genes (gyrB, rpoD and rpoB), and by biochemical and pathogenicity profiling. The biochemical tests and pathogenicity profiling did not reveal any variability among the isolates studied. However, the molecular fingerprinting patterns and housekeeping gene sequences clearly differentiated them. In a broader phylogenetic comparison of housekeeping gene sequences deposited in GenBank, significant genetic variability at the molecular level was found between isolates of P. viridiflava originated from different host species as well as among isolates from the same host. Our results provide a basis for more comprehensive understanding of the biology, sources and shifts in genetic diversity and evolution of P. viridiflava populations and should support the development of molecular identification tools and epidemiological studies in diseases caused by this species.

Highlights

Pseudomonas species are ubiquitous bacteria endowed with metabolism that enables them to dwell in a large variety of environmental niches
P. viridiflava is distinguished from many other plant pathogens in being able to infect a large variety of host species including the model plant A. thaliana [16]
P. viridiflava is often reported as an opportunistic pathogen [13] and could experience selection pressures during the epiphytic phase of its life history that are less prevalent in single-host pathogens [16]

Summary

Introduction

Pseudomonas species are ubiquitous bacteria endowed with metabolism that enables them to dwell in a large variety of environmental niches. Various Pseudomonas species are important as pathogens of animals, insects and plants [1,2,3]. The molecular taxonomic criteria for the genus Pseudomonas have been revised along with the progress in bacterial taxonomy. The phytopathogenic oxidase-negative fluorescent Pseudomonads have been grouped into two species, Pseudomonas syringae and Pseudomonas viridiflava [5]. The LOPAT determinative tests (L: levan production; O: oxidase production; P: pectinolytic activity; A: arginine dihydrolase production; and T: tobacco hypersensitivity) are the most widely used protocol for the differentiation of plant pathogenic Pseudomonads [6,7]

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