Candidatus Profftella Research Articles

Characterization and analysis of dynamic changes of microbial community associated with grape decay during storage

The rot caused by pathogens during the storage of table grapes is an important factor that affects the development of the grape industry and food safety, and it cannot be ignored. The development of innovative methods for pathogen control should be based on a comprehensive understanding of the overall microbial community changes that occur during grape storage. The study aims to investigate the relationship between the native microbiota (including beneficial, pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms) on grape surfaces and the development of disease during grape storage. In this study, the bacteria and fungi present on grape surfaces were analyzed during storage under room temperature conditions using high-throughput sequencing. During the storage of grapes at room temperature, observable diseases and a noticeable decrease in quality were observed at 8 days. Microbial community analysis showed that 4996 bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and 488 fungal ASVs were determined. The bacterial richness exhibited an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease. However, the diversity exhibited a distinct pattern of gradual decrease. The fungal richness and community diversity both exhibit a gradual decrease during the storage of grapes. Fungal β-diversity analysis showed that despite the absence of rot and the healthy state of grapes on the first and fourth days, the fungal β-diversity exhibited a significant difference. The analysis of changes in genera abundances suggested that Candidatus Profftella and Aspergillus exhibited dominance in the rotting grape at 16 days, which are the main pathogens that caused disease in the present study. The co-occurrence networks among the microbial showed that the Candidatus proftella genera has a positive correlation with Aspergillus niger, indicating that they work together to cause disease and promote growth in grapes. Predicting the function of bacterial communities found that the microorganisms associated with lipid metabolism at 4 days play an important role in the process of postharvest decay of grapes.

Potential of citrus endophyte Bacillus subtilisL1‐21 in the control of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus in Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri

Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), also known as Diaphorina citri, is the natural vector of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which is responsible for Huanglongbing (HLB), a devastating citrus disease. Previously, the pathogen was successfully excluded from diseased citrus plants by using the indigenous endophyte Bacillus subtilis L1-21. However, the pathogen elimination and colonization potential of B. subtilis L1-21 in the carrier vector ACP, as well as the recruitment of native microbial communities of psyllid in the presence of endophytes, are still unknown. Initially, we suggested that endophyte L1-21 reduced the CLas copies in ACP from 6.58 × 106 to 5.04 × 104 per insect after 48 h, however, the pathogen copies remained stable in the negative control. The endophyte was stable for 48 h after application. Among the bacterial genera those highlighted in ACP were Candidatus Liberibacter, Pseudomonas, Candidatus Profftella, Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum, Pantoea, Curtobacterium, Wolbachia, Actinomycetospora, and Bacillus. Interestingly, B. subtilis L1-21 easily colonizes the midgut of ACP but cannot be detected in eggs. When ACP with endophyte L1-21 was allowed to feed on new citrus leaves, the highest colonization was observed. We also found that psyllids carrying endophyte L1-21 after feeding on citrus leaves reduced the CLas copies in leaves on the 0, 3rd and 5th day from 8.18 × 10,4 2.6 × 10,3 and 0 pathogen copies/g fresh midvein, respectively. We propose that B. subtilis L1-21 is a native endophyte in citrus and psyllid, which efficiently reduces the CLas pathogen in both citrus and psyllids, provides a more protective effect by increasing the number of cultivable endophytes, and successfully colonizes the midgut of ACP. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Investigation of Gut Bacterial Communities of Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) Reared on Different Host Plants.

Simple SummaryDiaphorina citri is a crucial natural vector of the Huanglongbing pathogen, which has devastated the citrus industry. The host plant is a critical factor that affects insect biology and its symbiont abundance. However, little is known about how host plants affect the bacterial community located in D. citri. In this work, the guts of five different host-plant-feeding populations (i.e., Citrus reticulata cv. Shatangju, Citrus poonensis cv. Ponkan, Murraya paniculata (orange jasmine), Citrus limon (lemon), and Citrus sinensis (navel orange)) were analyzed for bacterial communities by next-generation sequencing. The dominant phylum was Proteobacteria. The most common and abundant bacterial genera in D. citri were Wolbachia, Escherichia-Shigella, and Candidatus Profftella, but their relative abundance varied among the different host plant groups. There were obvious differences in the gut microbiota among the different hosts, and the gut microbe diversity was the highest in the ponkan-feeding population, while the lowest was in the Shatangju-feeding population. Overall, our findings indicate that the host plant can significantly affect the gut microbial community of D. citri. This result can provide new insights into the co-adaptation of D. citri and its symbionts.Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) can cause severe damage to citrus plants, as it transmits Candidatus Liberibacter spp., a causative agent of Huanglongbing disease. Symbiotic bacteria play vital roles in the ecology and biology of herbivore hosts, thereby affecting host growth and adaptation. In our research, the effects of Rutaceous plants (i.e., Citrus reticulata cv. Shatangju, Citrus poonensis cv. Ponkan, Murraya paniculata (orange jasmine), Citrus limon (lemon), and Citrus sinensis (navel orange)) on the gut microbiota (GM) and microbial diversity of D. citri adults were investigated by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. It was found that Proteobacteria dominated the GM communities. The gut microbe diversity was the highest in the ponkan-feeding population, and the lowest in the Shatangju-feeding population. The NMDS analysis revealed that there were obvious differences in the GM communities among the different hosts. PICRUSt function prediction indicated significant differences in host function, and those pathways were crucial for maintaining population reproduction, growth, development, and adaptation to environmental stress in D. citri. Our study sheds new light on the interactions between symbionts, herbivores, and host plants and expands our knowledge on host adaptation related to GM in D. citri.

Comparative microbiome analysis reveals bacterial communities associated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus infection in the Huanglongbing insect vector Diaphorina citri

• Candidatus Profftella, Wolbachia , and Candidatus Carsonella were the most abundant genera in all samples. • C Las-infected samples harboured more OTUs and showed higher alpha diversity metric. • Candidatus Profftella was more abundant in the non-infected group. • The relationship between Candidatus Profftella and C Las was co-exclusion. • The relationship among C Las, Wolbachia and multiple other bacteria were co-existed. The Asian citrus psyllid ( Diaphorina citri ) is a major pest of the citrus industry and is also the vector for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus ( C Las), a destructive Huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus trees. Insect endosymbionts and gut bacteria play important roles in vector-pathogen interactions and host immunity. Thus, our aim was to evaluate the correlation between C Las infection and the microbiome in D. citri by conducting 16S rRNA amplification sequencing on insects successfully and unsuccessfully infected with C Las ( C Las-infected and non-infected). Genera Candidatus Profftella, Wolbachia , and Candidatus Carsonella were highly abundant genera in all tested samples. Compared with the non-infected and control groups, C Las-infected samples harboured more observed OTUs and showed higher alpha diversity metrics. Principal coordinate analysis based on beta-diversity metrics indicated two distinct clusters between the C Las-infected samples and non-infected/control samples. Subsequent LEfSe analysis revealed that Candidatus Profftella was more abundant in the non-infected group than in the control and C Las-infected groups. The interaction network also indicated a co-exclusion relationship between Candidatus Profftella and C Las, while C Las co-existed with Wolbachia , several Enterobacteriaceae spp . , and multiple other bacteria. Our study provides insight into the interaction between the microbiome community in D. citri and C Las, which can facilitate the management of this pest and its associated pathogen.

The Influence of Temperature and Host Gender on Bacterial Communities in the Asian Citrus Psyllid.

Simple SummaryDiaphorina citri is an important natural vector for the Huanglongbing pathogen, which causes destructive damage to citrus production. The temperature and gender are critical abiotic and biotic factors affecting insect physiology as well as the symbiont abundance. Nevertheless, how temperature and gender affect the bacterial communities present in D. citri is still unclear. This study used high-throughput sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA amplicons to identify amplicon sequence variants in D. citri. The dominant phylum was Proteobacteria, and Candidatus Profftella and Wolbachia were the dominant taxa in all groups. Furthermore, under a high-temperature treatment, Profftella was the prevalent symbiont in females, but Wolbachia had a higher abundance in males. In males, Profftella was more abundant under low-temperature treatments than high-temperature treatments. In contrast, Wolbachia showed a higher abundance under high-temperature treatments than under low-temperature treatments. The results will provide a new vision for understanding the co-adaptation of D. citri and its symbionts to environmental stresses.The Asian citrus psyllid, D. citri Kuwayama is the primary vector for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which causes a destructive disease in citrus plants. Bacterial symbionts are important determinants of insect physiology, and they can be impacted by many external factors. Temperature is an important abiotic factor affecting insect physiology, and it is also known that differences in symbiont proportions may vary in different insect genders. To date, it is unclear how the symbionts of D. citri are affected by temperature and gender. This study used high-throughput sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA amplicons to determine how temperature and gender affect the bacterial communities present in D. citri. We identified 27 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to 10 orders, seven classes, and five phyla. The dominant phylum was Proteobacteria (99.93%). Other phyla, including Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Deinococcota, Cyanobacteria, and Actinobacteriota, were less abundant (<0.1%). Profftella (71.77–81.59%) and Wolbachia (18.39–28.22%) were the predominant taxa in all samples. Under high-temperature treatment, Profftella was more common in females, while Wolbachia had a higher abundance in males. In males, Profftella was more abundant under low-temperature treatments than under high-temperature treatments. In contrast, Wolbachia showed a higher abundance under high-temperature treatments than under low-temperature treatments. An RT-qPCR (quantitative real-time PCR) approach confirmed the results obtained with high-throughput DNA sequencing. Our results provide a basis for understanding the co-adaptation of D. citri and its symbionts to environmental temperature stress.

Microbiome diversity inDiaphorina citripopulations from Kenya and Tanzania shows links to China.

The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) is a key pest of Citrus spp. worldwide, as it acts as a vector for “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las)”, the bacterial pathogen associated with the destructive Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Recent detection of D. citri in Africa and reports of Las-associated HLB in Ethiopia suggest that the citrus industry on the continent is under imminent threat. Endosymbionts and gut bacteria play key roles in the biology of arthropods, especially with regards to vector-pathogen interactions and resistance to antibiotics. Thus, we aim to profile the bacterial genera and to identify antibiotic resistance genes within the microbiome of different populations worldwide of D. citri. The metagenome of D. citri was sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore full-length 16S metagenomics protocol, and the “What’s in my pot” (WIMP) analysis pipeline. Microbial diversity within and between D. citri populations was assessed, and antibiotic resistance genes were identified using the WIMP-ARMA workflow. The most abundant genera were key endosymbionts of D. citri (“Candidatus Carsonella”, “Candidatus Profftella”, and Wolbachia). The Shannon diversity index showed that D. citri from Tanzania had the highest diversity of bacterial genera (1.92), and D. citri from China had the lowest (1.34). The Bray-Curtis dissimilarity showed that China and Kenya represented the most diverged populations, while the populations from Kenya and Tanzania were the least diverged. The WIMP-ARMA analyses generated 48 CARD genes from 13 bacterial species in each of the populations. Spectinomycin resistance genes were the most frequently found, with an average of 65.98% in all the populations. These findings add to the knowledge on the diversity of the African D. citri populations and the probable introduction source of the psyllid in these African countries.