Occurrence of chrysanthemum virescence caused by “<Emphasis Type="Italic">Candidatus</Emphasis> Phytoplasma aurantifolia” in Okinawa

In 1999, a disease of chrysanthemum [Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura], characterized by virescence of flowers, occurred in Okinawa Prefecture. The causal agent was identified as “Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia” based on 16S rDNA sequencing. The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession number AB247462.     

Occurrence of rocket larkspur witches’ broom caused by “<Emphasis Type="Italic">Candidatus</Emphasis> Phytoplasma asteris” in Japan

In October 2001, a disease of rocket larkspur (Cosolida ambigua (L.) P. W. Ball et Heyw), characterized by witches’ broom, yellows and virescence of flowers, was found in Yakage Town in Okayama Prefecture. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of phytoplasma-like bodies in the phloem of diseased plants. The causal phytoplasma was identified as “Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris” based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and demonstrated to be acquired by the leafhopper Macrosteles striifrons. The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under the accession number AB258330.     

Role of stilbenes in the resistance of grapevine to powdery mildew

Stilbene phytoalexins are identified as defence response in pathogen–grapevine interactions, but little information is available on the role of stilbenes on Erysiphe necator, causal agent of grapevine powdery mildew. Analysis of stilbenes in artificially infected leaf discs from susceptible to highly resistant cultivars was performed and compared to the development of the pathogen. Results indicate that stilbene synthesis is confined in infected cells, penetrated by an appressorium–peg. Stilbene amounts expressed by infection site allow discriminating susceptible and resistant cultivars. Highest viniferins concentrations on resistant cultivars are in correspondence with the observed inhibition of the pathogen growth. The analysis of stilbenes at the infection site and viniferins accumulation in grapevine defence reaction is discussed.     

Occurrence of strawberry marginal chlorosis caused by “Candidatus Phlomobacter fragariae” in Japan

In February 2004, a disease of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.), causing little-leaf, proliferation, malformation of fruits, and marginal chlorosis of leaves, occurred in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The causal pathogen was identified as a phloem-restricted bacterium-like organism, “Candidatus Phlomobacter fragariae,” based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection, electron microscopy, and sequence analysis of PCR products. This is the first report of strawberry marginal chlorosis in Asia. The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under the accession number AB246669.     

实时荧光定量PCR法检测十字花科细菌性黑斑病菌

为有效防控我国的检疫性有害生物十字花科细菌性黑斑病菌Pseudomonas syringae pv.maculicola在国内的传播与蔓延,通过设计1对特异性引物3539,利用132株靶标和非靶标菌为模板进行PCR扩增,建立了实时荧光定量PCR法,并进行了模拟种子带菌试验。结果显示,引物3539为只针对十字花科细菌性黑斑病菌扩增出的特异性产物;在模拟种子带菌检测中,常规PCR对菌悬液的检测限为10~5CFU/m L,实时荧光定量PCR的检测限为10~3CFU/m L,其中10~8CFU/m L菌液的Ct值最低,为22.90,10~3CFU/m L菌液的Ct值最高,为35.73,且不同浓度菌液间的Ct值均有显著差异;不同带菌率模拟种子的检测结果表明,常规PCR和实时荧光定量PCR能检测到的带菌率分别为0.5%和0.1%。研究表明,实时荧光定量PCR法不仅可用于病种的检测,也可用于病害的早期诊断。     

Rapid and sensitive detection of “<Emphasis Type="Italic">Candidatus</Emphasis> Liberibacter asiaticus” by cycleave isothermal and chimeric primer-initiated amplification of nucleic acids

We developed a detection method for “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus”, causal agent of citrus huanglongbing, using isothermal and chimeric primer-initiated amplification of nucleic acids combined with cycling probe technology (Cycleave ICAN). With Cycleave ICAN, the reaction was done in one tube in 1 h without the need for electrophoresis, and false positives were not generated. In addition, Cycleave ICAN method was more sensitive than the conventional PCR method. Cycleave ICAN helps shorten the time for the large-scale detection needed to manage huanglongbing.     

魔芋软腐病病原菌TaqMan荧光探针PCR技术的建立及应用

为实现对田间土壤软腐病病原菌的定量检测,基于魔芋软腐病优势病原菌胡萝卜软腐果胶杆菌胡萝卜亚种Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum的FyuA基因序列,设计特异性引物PCC1/PCC2/PCC3,建立TaqMan荧光探针实时荧光定量PCR技术,并对魔芋根系土壤中软腐病病原菌进行动态监测。结果显示:基于FyuA基因序列设计的引物特异性好,仅能特异性检出胡萝卜软腐果胶杆菌胡萝卜亚种;当模拟带菌土壤中病原菌浓度低至1.88 CFU/g时也能检出,灵敏度高;发病魔芋根际土壤中软腐病病原菌检出率为100.00%,病原菌DNA浓度最高达到了7.52×10~7ng/μL,健康魔芋根际土壤中也存在病原菌,检出率为40.00%;不同种植模式中,林下魔芋土壤中软腐病病原菌数量较少;连作时间与病原菌数量、病情指数存在正相关关系,连作时间越长,病原菌积累越多,魔芋病情指数也越高,魔芋连作4年土壤中病原菌DNA浓度最高达到4.03×10~4ng/μL;对魔芋土壤软腐病病原菌进行全年监测,病原菌数量随着月份增长逐渐上升,在8—10月达到峰值543.20 ng/μL后下降,病原菌数量与魔芋病情指数变化规律一致,但田间魔芋软腐病的发生相对滞后。表明建立的TaqMan荧光探针实时荧光定量PCR技术可用于田间魔芋软腐病的监测。     

芋疫霉重组聚合酶扩增结合侧流层析试纸条快速检测方法的建立及应用

为建立芋疫霉Phytophthora colocasiae快速准确的分子检测方法,基于Ypt1基因特异序列,设计芋疫霉的特异性引物与探针,建立一种快速、准确、可视化的芋疫霉重组聚合酶扩增结合侧流层析试纸条（recombinase polymerase amplification-lateral flow dipstick,LFD-RPA）检测方法,对该检测方法进行优化,评估其特异性与灵敏度,并对田间疑似样品进行检测。结果表明,优化后的芋疫霉LFD-RPA检测方法最适反应条件为39℃恒温反应30 min。LFD-RPA检测方法能够特异性地检测出芋疫霉,而对其他卵菌近缘种和常见植物病原真菌均未检出,且该检测方法对芋疫霉DNA的检测灵敏度达到1 pg/μL。对田间带病组织检测发现,LFD-RPA检测方法能够快速准确地从田间自然发病植株中检测出芋疫霉。表明本研究所建立的芋疫霉LFD-RPA快速可视化检测方法特异性好、灵敏度高、简单快捷,可用于芋疫病的田间快速诊断。     

番茄斑萎病毒NASBA检测方法的建立

为建立一种快速检测番茄斑萎病毒(Tomato spotted wilt virus,TSWV)的方法,以TSWV-CP1/TSWV-CP2为引物对TSWV的N基因进行PCR扩增及序列测定,在TSWV N基因的高度保守区设计特异性扩增引物NA-P1/NA-P2进行核酸序列依赖性扩增(NASBA)反应,并对NASBA方法的特异性和灵敏度进行验证。结果表明,建立的NASBA方法最佳反应时间为1.5 h。该方法特异性较好,只有TSWV阳性样品中出现了预期大小为235 bp的扩增产物,与烟草环斑病毒(Tobacco ring spot virus,TRSV)、番茄黑环病毒(Tomato black ring virus,TBRV)、黄瓜花叶病毒(Cucumber mosaic virus,CMV)、番茄花叶病毒(Tomato mosaic virus,ToMV)、番茄黄化曲叶病毒(Tomato yellow curl virus,ToYCLV)无交叉反应。灵敏度验证中,实时荧光RT-PCR的灵敏度最高,为1.56×10~(-5)ng/μL感病植物RNA模板,NASBA次之,为1.56×10~(-4)ng/μL,普通RT-PCR最低,为1.56×10~(-3)ng/μL。在对9份实际样品检测中,NASBA的阳性检出率与实时荧光RT-PCR、普通RT-PCR相同,均为33%,高于ELISA检测的22%。表明NASBA方法适用于实际样品检测,可对TSWV进行快速检测。     

苹果轮纹病菌LAMP快速检测方法的建立

为建立快捷、灵敏检测苹果轮纹病菌Botryosphaeria dothidea的环介导等温扩增(loop-medi‐ated isothermal amplification,LAMP)检测方法,以其内转录间隔区ITS序列为靶标,设计6条LAMP引物,对其特异性进行检测,优化反应条件并建立苹果轮纹病菌的LAMP检测方法。引物特异性检测结果表明,2株苹果轮纹病菌反应结果呈绿色为阳性,而其它3株对照菌株反应结果呈橙色为阴性,表明了LAMP检测引物的高特异性。优化后的LAMP最佳反应条件:温度65℃、扩增时间60 min、FIP/BIP、F3/B3、LF/LB引物终浓度分别为1.0、0.25、0.5μmol/L。LAMP检测方法对苹果轮纹病菌DNA的检测灵敏度达到了100 ag/μL,是常规PCR检测灵敏度的100倍。田间疑似轮纹病组织检测结果发现LAMP方法对苹果轮纹病菌的检出率高达68%,而传统分离鉴定方法的检出率仅为24%。表明所建立的苹果轮纹病菌LAMP快速检测方法简便快捷、特异性好、灵敏度高,尤其适用于基层植保机构对于苹果轮纹病菌的田间快速检测。     

Assessment of real-time PCR as a method for determining the presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis> in different Solanaceae cultivars

Real-time PCR was used to detect and quantify Verticillium dahliae and to assess the susceptibility of four Capsicum annuum cultivars (Luesia, Padrón, SCM331 and PI201234) and the Capsicum chinense cv. C118 to this pathogen. The symptoms which developed after infection included stunting and yellowing, and were more acute in the cv. SCM331, which also suffered defoliation in later stages of the disease and in C118, which suffered severe stunting. Quantification of the pathogen DNA in roots 23 and 34 days post-inoculation (dpi) revealed that there were significantly higher amounts of Verticillium dahliae DNA in C118 than in the other cultivars, followed by SCM331, Padrón and PI201234. The lowest amounts of fungal DNA in roots were found in Luesia. In hypocotyls, the highest amounts of fungal DNA were found in SCM331, while Luesia, Padrón and PI201234 had much lower amounts, and C118 had intermediate levels. When a compatible versus an incompatible system was studied, using the near-isogenic tomato lines LA3030 (susceptible) and LA3038 (resistant to V. dahliae), we were able to detect fungal DNA in both lines. As expected, the fungus/plant DNA ratio was lower in LA3038 than in LA3030 and it decreased with time in LA3038. The amount of Verticillium dahliae DNA in the roots of LA3030 remained constant between days 23 and 34 post-inoculation, but increased 10-fold in collars. Finally, when real-time PCR was applied as a diagnostic method to samples from pepper plants, soil and water collected from farms in northwest Spain, we were able to detect V. dahliae DNA in these samples even when symptoms of the disease were not evident.     

Development of high-throughput real-time PCR assays for the identification of insensitive acetylcholinesterase (ace-1) in Anopheles gambiae

Resistance to the organophosphate and carbamate insecticides through insensitivity of the target site enzyme, acetylcholinesterase has recently been reported in Anopheles gambiae populations in West Africa. To date, screening for the mutation (G119S of the ace-1 gene) conferring this insensitivity has employed a simple PCR-RFLP diagnostic. However, this has the disadvantage of requiring digestion of the amplified fragment and subsequent gel electrophoresis of the products. To overcome this, and thus increase throughput and reduce costs, we have developed two assays based on real-time PCR (TaqMan and melt-curve) that represent true ‘closed-tube’ approaches. The two new platforms were compared to PCR-RFLP to genotype over 280 samples. The two new methods compared favourably with PCR-RFLP with the TaqMan assay delivering the greatest specificity and sensitivity of the three approaches. This assay is also cheaper to run than PCR-RFLP and results are obtained in a single step.