A new medium for the detection of fluorescent pigment production by pseudomonads

Two media (King’s B [KB] and CSGA) commonly used for the detection of fluorescent pigment by Pseudomonas spp. were compared to a new medium proposed in this study, PGS agar. Thirty‐nine strains of 10 different species of Pseudomonas from several geographic regions were screened. The efficacies of these media were examined under several conditions, including the addition of iron‐binding substances or supplementation with extra iron. The medium developed, which included an iron‐binding agent, was the most permissive for production of fluorescent pigments when compared to KB and CSGA. Thirty‐seven of the 39 pseudomonad strains screened were highly fluorescent on this new medium compared to 15 and 16 strains, respectively, on KB or CSGA. The optimal composition of the medium per litre was Bacto peptone 10 g, gelatin 20 g, sucrose 20 g, agar 15 g, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate 1 g, magnesium sulphate heptahydrate 1 g and conalbumin 2 g. Protocol validation tests performed through an intra‐laboratory study in comparison to KB demonstrated the effectiveness of the new PGS medium.     

Mechanisms of inhibition of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici by fluorescent pseudomonads

The take-all fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici reduced the weight of wheat plants grown in tubes containing sterilized sand and plant nutrient solution. Fluorescent pseudomonads, when added to the tubes, inhibited the take-all fungus and increased plant weight. Iron (as FeNaEDTA) had no effect on the inhibition of the fungus by the pseudomonads. Some of the pseudomonads produced a compound in the wheat rhizosphere with a UV absorption peak at 365 nm, but the inhibition of G. graminis by pseudomonads was not proportional to the UV absorbance of rhizosphere extracts. A yellow crystalline compound, absorbing at 365 nm, was extracted from broth cultures and shown to be toxic to G. graminis under acid conditions. This compound is considered to be phenazine-I-carboxylic acid.     

Biocontrol of soil-borne fungal plant diseases by 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing fluorescent pseudomonads with different restriction profiles of amplified 16S rDNA

Fluorescent pseudomonads producing the antimicrobial compound 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (Phl) are being studied extensively for use as biocontrol agents of soil-borne fungal diseases. Some of them can produce pyoluteorin (Plt) in addition to Phl, whereas others synthesise only Phl. Here, a collection of seven Phl⁺ Plt^- pseudomonads, seven Phl⁺ Plt⁺ pseudomonads and seven Phl^- biocontrol pseudomonads were compared for protection of plant roots against fungal pathogens. The seven Phl⁺ Plt⁺ pseudomonads were identical by restriction analysis of amplified spacer ribosomal DNA (spacer ARDRA), whereas the Phl⁺ Plt^- pseudomonads and especially the Phl^- biocontrol pseudomonads were quite diverse by spacer ARDRA. Collectively, the Phl⁺ Plt^- pseudomonads proved superior to the Phl⁺ Plt⁺ pseudomonads and the Phl^- biocontrol pseudomonads for protection of tomato against Fusarium crown and root rot (in rockwool microcosms) or cucumber against Pythium damping-off (in non-sterile soil microcosms). There was no correlation between protection in vivo and inhibition of the corresponding fungal pathogen on plates. However, there was a significant correlation between the amount of Phl produced on plates and protection of tomato against Fusarium crown and root rot, but not with protection of cucumber against Pythium damping-off. Interestingly, the minority of strains unable to produce HCN, an extracellular protease, or both, were among those unable to protect plants in both pathosystems. A seedling assay was developed to compare pseudomonads for suppression of Fusarium crown and root rot in vitro, and a significant correlation was found between disease severity in vitro and in vivo. Overall, results suggest that promising biocontrol pseudomonads may be identified based on the ability to produce Phl and/or specific ARDRA-based fingerprints.     

Protection of cucumber against Pythium root rot by fluorescent pseudomonads: predominant role of induced resistance over siderophores and antibiosis

Four Pseudomonas strains were evaluated for their intrinsic properties conferring their ability to protect long English cucumber against Pythium aphanidermatum in hydroponic culture. Two of the strains, BTP1 and its siderophore-negative mutant M3, increased plant yield as compared with the non-inoculated control plants. Strain BTP7 was intermediate in its biocontrol activity while strain ATCC 17400 failed to reduce disease development. The role of pyoverdines could not be confirmed since treatment with either BTP1 or its siderophore-negative mutant M3 provided similar suppression of Pythium disease. In addition, no siderophores were detected in the nutrient solution. BTP1 did not inhibit pathogen growth in vitro on several media, suggesting that antibiosis was not a mechanism of suppression. Quantification of root bacterial populations did not indicate differences among the strains. On the other hand, roots treated with either BTP1 or its sid⁻ mutant M3 contained more antifungal phenolics than roots from any other treatments including controls. These results suggest that antifungal compounds induced by inoculation of cucumber roots with the fluorescent Pseudomonas strains BTP1 and M3 participate actively in the protection of cucumber plants against P. aphanidermatum     

Nematicidal fluorescent pseudomonads for the in vitro and in vivo suppression of root knot (Meloidogyne incognita) of Capsicum annuum L

BACKGROUND: Considerable attention has been paid to plant‐growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), especially the fluorescent group of Pseudomonas species, as the best alternatives to chemicals for facilitating ecofriendly biological control of soil‐ and seedborne microorganisms. On the basis of their novel plant‐growth‐promoting attributes, two rhizobacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa VP1 and VP2 selected out of over 63 isolates from the rhizosphere of chilli (Capsicum annuum) were identified as potential candidates for biocontrol of the root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on chilli. RESULTS: The nematicidal activity of both strains was evaluated in vitro and in vivo for their efficacy against M. incognita. P. aeruginosa VP2 exhibited strong nematicidal activity in comparison with VP1, based on the in vitro killing of the second‐stage juveniles (J2) of M. incognita. Seed bacterisation with both strains VP1 and VP2 was able to manage root‐knot M. incognita on chilli (C. annuum) in a pot trial study. Increase in root and shoot length and in fresh and dry weight of root and shoot and reduction in the root‐knot index over the control were attained. In overall performance, VP2 was 29.5% more effective than VP1, and about 30% more effective than the control (non‐bacterised). CONCLUSION: The application of P. aeruginosa VP1 and P. aeruginosa VP2 controls the development of M. incognita in C. annuum, and hence they are recommended as efficient plant growth promotors and biocontrolling agents for raising healthy crop of C. annuum that can promote the growth of plants and reduce the nematode (M. incognita) population. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

A PCR diagnostic assay for rapid detection of plant pathogenic pseudomonads

Molecular detection of phytopathogens is increasingly being applied to identify regulated organisms at the border in many parts of the world. However, even with molecular tests, complete phenotyping and identification of a strain is often time consuming and sometimes inconclusive. In this study, a leaf-based pathogenicity test was used to separate pseudomonads into two groups, Group A containing pathogens, and Group B containing saprotrophs. Comparative genomics of 56 pseudomonad genomes from different plant hosts (including 29 strains from kiwifruit) agreed with kiwifruit pathogenicity test results, placing pathogens into Group A and saprotrophs into Group B. Sixteen loci were found unique to Group A. A PCR assay was developed for amplification of one of these loci, the trehalose phosphatase gene. The generation of this 655 bp amplicon was associated with production of water-soaked lesions on inoculated kiwifruit leaves by pseudomonads in Group A. This test was validated for further strains from all seven pathogenic Pseudomonas phylogroups, non-pathogenic pseudomonads, and other bacterial genera. The sensitivity of the PCR was comparable to the limit of recovery of pseudomonads by culturing. This simple PCR assay could be used as part of a testing pipeline at the border and for general surveillance for screening plants with and without symptoms, offering the potential to detect uncharacterized pseudomonads that may pose a biosecurity risk. The method was shown to be able to rapidly identify pathogens cultured from plant material with symptoms, or, more importantly, to detect pathogens directly from plant tissue.     

Suppression of septoria tritici blotch and leaf rust on wheat seedling leaves by pseudomonads

Application of cells of two isolates of fluorescent pseudomonads from soil to wheat seedlings prior to inoculation with Mycosphaerella graminicola (anamorph, Septoria tritici) or Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici markedly reduced symptom expression. These Pseudomonas isolates, LEC 1 and LEC 2. also reduced in vitro growth of Geotrichum candidum. Rhizoctonia solani. Sclerotium rolfsii and S. tritici. Growth of the melanin-producing isolate ISR398 of S. tritici was inhibited on silica gel thin-layer chromatograms by compound(s) extracted with diethyl ether from King's Medium B colonized by Pseudomonas isolate LEC 1. The growth of the antagonistic pseudomonads on defined medium was not affected by the following commercial fungicides: benomyl, captafol, chlorothalonil, fenarimol, mancozeb, maneb, metalaxyl, prochloraz, propiconazole, triadimefon, and the herbicides 2,4-D and diclofop-methyl at the recommended concentrations     

梨火疫病菌的实时荧光PCR检测

 根据梨火疫病菌16S~23S间的ITS保守序列,设计并合成了一对特异性引物REA/FEA,应用荧光染料SYBR Green I,对10个梨火疫的菌株和其它相关参试菌株进行了检测。结果表明,10个梨火疫菌株都产生荧光信号而其它参试菌株都不产生荧光信号,成功建立了梨火疫病菌的实时荧光PCR检测方法。整个检测过程只需3h,完全闭管,降低了污染的机会,无需PCR后处理。检测的灵敏度是4个菌体细胞,比常规PCR电泳检测提高了10倍。用该特异性引物对梨枝条浸泡液进行实时荧光PCR检测,结果可特异性检测到目标菌的存在,并且检测的灵敏度是24个菌体细胞,比常规PCR电泳检测提高10倍。     

冬生疫霉的实时荧光PCR检测方法

冬生疫霉(Phytophthora hibernalis)是我国检疫性病原菌。本研究根据冬生疫霉的ITS基因序列,设计了实时荧光PCR引物PH-F和PH-R及TaqMan-MGB探针PH-Pr,建立了冬生疫霉的实时荧光PCR检测方法,可检测到冬生疫霉DNA最低浓度为50 fg/μL,而冬生疫霉的近似种、近缘种和空白对照,无荧光信号增加。因此,利用该方法可以稳定、高效的检测出冬生疫霉。     

Evaluation of proposed amended names of several pseudomonads and xanthomonads and recommendations

ABSTRACT In 1980, over 90% of all plant-pathogenic pseudomonads and xanthomonads were lumped into Pseudomonas syringae and Xanthomonas campestris, respectively, as pathovars. The term "pathovar" was created to preserve the name of plant pathogens, but has no official standing in nomenclature. Proposals to elevate and rename several pathovars of the genera Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas to the rank of species has caused great confusion in the literature. We believe the following changes have merit and expect to adopt them for publication in a future American Phytopathological Society Laboratory Guide for Identification of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria. Upon review of published data and the Rules of The International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria, we make the following recommendations. We reject the proposal to change the name of P. syringae pvs. phaseolicola and glycinea to P. savastanoi pvs. phaseolicola and glycinea, respectively, because both pathogens are easily differentiated phenotypically from pv. savastanoi and convincing genetic data to support such a change are lacking. We accept the elevation of P. syringae pv. savastanoi to the rank of species. We accept the reinstatement of X. oryzae to the rank of species with the inclusion of X. oryzicola as a pathovar of X. oryzae and we accept the species X. populi. We agree with the elevation of the pvs. cassavae, cucurbitae, hyacinthi, pisi, and translucens to the rank of species but not pvs. melonis, theicola, and vesicatoria type B. We recommend that all type A X. vesicatoria be retained as X. campestris pv. vesicatoria and all type B X. vesicatoria be named X. exitiosa. We reject the newly proposed epithets arboricola, bromi, codiaei (poinsettiicola type B), hortorum, sacchari, and vasicola and the transfer of many pathovars of X. campestris to X. axonopodis. The proposed pathovars of X. axonopodis should be retained as pathovars of X. campestris.     

苜蓿黄萎病菌实时荧光PCR检测方法

苜蓿黄萎病菌(Verticillium albo-atrum)能够危害多种重要的农艺和园艺作物,是我国重要检疫性有害生物。本研究根据V.albo-atrum的ITS基因序列,结合张正光设计的引物Vaa-1和Vaa-2,设计一条TaqMan探针Vaa-probe,研究实时荧光PCR的检测方法,以更加快速、灵敏的检测出V.albo-atrum。利用该方法可检测到含V.albo-atrumDNA浓度0.0005 ng/μL以上的样品,大大提高了检测的灵敏度。     

利用TaqMan探针实时荧光PCR方法检测香石竹细菌性萎蔫病菌

 根据香石竹细菌性萎蔫病菌基因组16S-23S rRNA保守序列,设计并合成了一对特异性引物和一条具有稳定点突变特异性探针,建立了对香石竹细菌性萎蔫病菌的TaqMan实时荧光PCR检测方法。除香石竹细菌性萎蔫病菌外,还对其他7种病原细菌菌株进行了荧光PCR检测。结果表明,只有香石竹细菌性萎蔫病菌产生荧光,其他病原细菌均没有荧光产生。与常规PCR相比,实时荧光PCR检测特异性强,灵敏度高,能检测到浓度为0.4 pg/μL的DNA,且能直接用于苗木等样品的检测,适合病害的快速诊断和口岸检验检疫应用。      

啤酒花潜隐类病毒的实时荧光RT-PCR检测

 近年来,四川省冕宁县大力发展樱桃产业,全县樱桃种植面积1 500 hm2,年产量已达到1 3000 t,是凉山有名的樱桃之乡。2009年开始,在部分樱桃园发现花变绿症状果树,随后发病面积逐年扩大,2011年发病面积已达总栽培面积的3%,发病果园病株率可达10%~40%,对冕宁县樱桃产业造〖HJ*2/3〗成潜在威胁。本研究针对植原体进化过程中的保守基因（16S rRNA和核糖体蛋白rp基因）,采用分子生物学方法对冕宁县采集到的表现花变绿症状的樱桃植株进行检测鉴定,以明确病原及株系的分类地位,为该病害的防治提供参考。     

利用实时荧光PCR技术检测风信子黄腐病菌

风信子黄腐病菌是我国禁止入境的病原细菌之一,我国目前尚无该病的发病报道.本研究根据风信子黄腐病菌基因组16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer保守序列,设计并合成了1对特异性引物和1条具有稳定点突变特异性探针进行实时荧光PCR检测,风信子黄腐病菌有很强的荧光信号,供试的其它7种病原细菌菌株均没有荧光产生.与常规PCR相比,实时荧光PCR检测特异性强,灵敏度高,适合病害的快速诊断和口岸检验检疫应用.经优化反应条件,建立了稳定的风信子黄腐病菌实时荧光PCR检测方法.     

玉米褪绿斑驳病毒实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法研究

玉米褪绿斑驳病毒(Maize chlorotic mottle virus,MCMV)是我国对外公布的检疫性有害生物。本研究根据该病毒外壳蛋白基因的保守序列,设计得到特异性引物及Taqman荧光探针,建立了MCMV的实时荧光RT-PCR方法,并对其灵敏度与特异性进行了研究。该方法针对2个不同来源的毒株均能得到典型扩增曲线,而没有从小麦线条花叶病毒、玉米粗缩病毒和玉米矮花叶病毒的RNA得到扩增曲线,表明引物与荧光探针具有良好的特异性。针对玉米褪绿斑驳病毒RNA不同稀释度样品,实时荧光RT-PCR检测低限达到10-5稀释度,检测灵敏度要比普通RT-PCR高出100倍。因此,本研究建立的MCMV实时荧光方法具有特异性强、灵敏度高和快速有效的优点。     

Studies on a fluorescent insect growth regulator metabolite complex with house-fly microsomal cytochrome P-450

The fluorescent insect growth regulator 5[[[5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalenyl]amino]-1,3-benzodioxole (DNSAB) forms a metabolite complex with house-fly microsomal cytochrome P-450. Formation of the metabolite complex is dependent on the presence of NADPH and O₂; NADH supports the reaction at a reduced rate. The presence of antibodies to house-fly cytochrome c (P-450) reductase in reaction mixtures inhibits the complex formation, indicating that the reductase is necessary for transfer of electrons from NADPH to cytochrome P-450 to complete the reaction. In the oxidized form, the metabolite complex has a single absorbance maximum at 431 nm, whereas the reduced form has two absorbance maxima at 426 (major) and 455 nm (minor). The pH of the media affects the extinction of the 426- and 455-nm Soret bands; increased pH decreases the extinction of the 426-nm band and increases the extinction of 455-nm band. Formation of the DNSAB metabolite-cytochrome P-450 complex decreases the amount of CO-reactive cytochrome P-450 by 24%. The metabolite complex is not dissociable by treatment with ferricyanide or by using centrifugation techniques. Dissociation is accomplished by addition of DNSAB to the oxidized metabolite complex. Kinetic analysis of the complex formation gives apparent K_m and V_max values at 2.55 ± 1.0 μM and 1.1 ± 0.4 × 10^?2 ΔA min^?1 nmol^?1 cytochrome P-450, respectively. Addition of juvenile hormone [(E,E)-cis-methyl-10,11-epoxy-7-ethyl-3,11-dimethyl-2,6-tridecadienoate; JH] to the reaction medium competitively inhibits the formation of the metabolite complex giving an inhibition constant of 16 μM. DNSAB synergized the lethal effects of JH against Aedes aegypti larvae threefold; however, JH did not synergize DNSAB. These data suggest that DNSAB may acquire its hormonal qualities by complexing a species of cytochrome P-450 that metabolizes JH, thereby prolonging the in vivo lifetime of this hormone.