A non-hypersensitive resistance in pepper to the bacterial spot pathogen is associated with two recessive genes

ABSTRACT The pepper genotype, ECW-12346, was developed with bacterial spot resistance derived from Pep13, PI 271322, and ECW123 (Early Calwonder containing Bs1, Bs2, and Bs3 genes). For genetic analysis of this resistance, ECW12346, ECW123, F(1), F(2), and backcrosses were inoculated with a pepper race 6 (P6) strain. Two recessive genes were identified that determined resistance. The genes are designated bs5 and bs6 for the resistance derived from PI 271322 and Pep13, respectively. In greenhouse and field studies, ECW12346 was highly resistant, whereas ECW123 had significant defoliation. In growth-room studies, electrolyte leakage and population dynamics were determined. Following infiltration of both genotypes with 10(8) CFU/ml of a P6 strain, there was no rapid increase in electrolyte leakage within 72 h, whereas a rapid increase in electrolyte leakage occurred within 24 h when a similar concentration of a P3 strain (containing the avrBs2 gene) was infiltrated into the intercellular spaces of the leaf. When 10(5) CFU/ml of a P6 strain was infiltrated into leaves, complete tissue collapse was evident in ECW123 10 days later as determined by visual assessment and electrolyte leakage data, but no confluent necrosis was detected in ECW12346. Internal populations were at least two logarithmic units higher in ECW123 than in ECW12346. Therefore, ECW12346 inhibits population build-up without inducing the typical hypersensitive reaction characterized by an increase in electrolyte leakage.     

Transient expression of pepper Bs2 gene in Citrus limon as an approach to evaluate its utility for management of citrus canker disease

The pepper Bs2 gene confers resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) pathogenic strains containing the avrBs2 avirulence gene in susceptible pepper and tomato. The avrBs2 gene is highly conserved in the Xanthomonas genus and when bacteria lack this gene their growth in a susceptible host is diminished, indicating that the avrBs2 gene product could confer an adaptive advantage to the pathogen. The avrBs2 of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), cause of citrus canker, shares 96% homology with avrBs2 of Xcv. To evaluate if Bs2 could recognize avrBs2 of Xcc in citrus plants and thereby activate plant defence mechanisms to increase resistance to canker, transient expression experiments were conducted using Agrobacterium tumefaciens in lemon plants subsequently challenged with wildtype Xcc. The results showed that transient expression of Bs2 reduced canker formation in lemon and induced plant defence mechanisms, as shown by callose deposition and PR‐1 expression. Moreover, when an avrBs2 mutant of Xcc was used, no decrease in disease symptoms was observed. This work shows that the Bs2 gene from Solanaceae is functional in lemon, a member of the Rutaceae family. Therefore, Bs2 is a potential candidate gene for stable expression in transgenic citrus plants in order to improve resistance to canker disease.     

Development of bacterial spot on near-isogenic lines of bell pepper carrying gene pyramids composed of defeated major resistance genes

ABSTRACT Disease severity caused by races 1 through 6 of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria on eight near-isogenic lines (isolines) of Early Calwonder (ECW) with three major resistance genes (Bs1, Bs2, and Bs3) in different combinations was evaluated in the greenhouse and field. Strains representing races 1, 3, 4, and 6 caused similar high levels of disease severity, followed by races 2 and 5 on susceptible ECW. Race 3 caused severe disease on all isolines lacking resistance gene Bs2. Race 4, which defeats Bs1 and Bs2, caused less disease on isoline ECW-12R (carries Bs1 + Bs2), than on isolines ECW, ECW-10R (carries Bs1), and ECW-20R (carries Bs2). Similar results were obtained with race 4 strains in field studies conducted during 1997 and 1998. In greenhouse studies, race 6, which defeats all three major genes, caused less disease on isoline ECW-13R (carries Bs1 + Bs3) and ECW-123R (carries Bs1 + Bs2 + Bs3) than on isolines ECW, ECW-10R, ECW-20R, and ECW-30R (carries Bs3), but not on ECW-23R (carries Bs2 + Bs3). In greenhouse studies with commercial hybrids, strains of races 4 and 6 caused less disease on Boynton Bell (carries Bs1 + Bs2) than on Camelot (carries no known resistance genes), King Arthur (carries Bs1), and X3R Camelot (carries Bs2). Race 6 caused less disease on hybrid R6015 (carries Bs1 + Bs2 + Bs3) and Sentinel (carries Bs1 + Bs3) than on Camelot. Residual effects were not as evident in field studies with race 6 strains. Defeated major resistance genes deployed in specific gene combinations (i.e., gene pyramids) were associated with less area under the disease progress curve than when genes were deployed individually in isolines of ECW or commercial hybrids. Successful management of bacterial spot of pepper is achieved incrementally by integrating multiple tactics. Although there is evidence of residual effects from defeated genes, these effects alone likely will not provide acceptable bacterial spot control in commercial production fields. However, when combined with sanitation practices and a judicious spray program, pyramids of defeated resistance genes may aid in reducing the risk of major losses due to bacterial spot.     

Systemic acquired resistance delays race shifts to major resistance genes in bell pepper

ABSTRACT The lack of durability of host plant disease resistance is a major problem in disease control. Genotype-specific resistance that involves major resistance (R) genes is especially prone to failure. The compatible (i.e., disease) host-pathogen interaction with systemic acquired resistance (SAR) has been studied extensively, but the incompatible (i.e., resistant) interaction less so. Using the pepper-bacterial spot (causal agent, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria) pathosystem, we examined the effect of SAR in reducing the occurrence of race-change mutants that defeat R genes in laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments. Pepper plants carrying one or more R genes were sprayed with the plant defense activator acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) and challenged with incompatible strains of the pathogen. In the greenhouse, disease lesions first were observed 3 weeks after inoculation. ASM-treated plants carrying a major R gene had significantly fewer lesions caused by both the incompatible (i.e., hypersensitive) and compatible (i.e., disease) responses than occurred on nonsprayed plants. Bacteria isolated from the disease lesions were confirmed to be race-change mutants. In field experiments, there was a delay in the detection of race-change mutants and a reduction in disease severity. Decreased disease severity was associated with a reduction in the number of race-change mutants and the suppression of disease caused by the race-change mutants. This suggests a possible mechanism related to a decrease in the pathogen population size, which subsequently reduces the number of race-change mutants for the selection pressure of R genes. Thus, inducers of SAR are potentially useful for increasing the durability of genotype-specific resistance conferred by major R genes.     

Behavior of Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3 Biovar 2 During Latent and Active Infection of Geranium

ABSTRACT Southern wilt of geraniums (Pelargonium hortorum), caused by the soilborne bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (R3bv2), has inflicted significant economic losses when geranium cuttings latently infected with this quarantine pest were imported into the United States. Little is known about the interaction between R. solanacearum and this ornamental host. Using UW551, a virulent R3bv2 geranium isolate from a Kenyan geranium, we characterized development of Southern wilt disease and R3bv2 latent infection on geranium plants. Following soil inoculation, between 12 and 26% of plants became latently infected, carrying average bacterial populations of 4.8 x 10(8) CFU/g of crown tissue in the absence of visible symptoms. Such latently infected plants shed an average of 1.3 x 105 CFU/ml in soil run-off water, suggesting a non-destructive means of testing pools of asymptomatic plants. Similarly, symptomatic plants shed 2 x 10(6) CFU/ml of run-off water. A few hundred R. solanacearum cells introduced directly into geranium stems resulted in death of almost all inoculated plants. However, no disease transmission was detected after contact between wounded leaves. Increasing temperatures to 28 degrees C for 2 weeks did not convert all latently infected plants to active disease, although disease development was temperature dependent. Holding plants at 4 degrees C for 48 h, a routine practice during geranium cutting shipment, did not increase frequency of latent infections. R. solanacearum cells were distributed unevenly in the stems and leaves of both symptomatic and latently infected plants, meaning that random leaf sampling is an unreliable testing method. UW551 also caused potato brown rot and bacterial wilt of tomato, surpassing race 1 strain K60 in virulence on tomato at the relatively cool temperature of 24 degrees C.     

Histological and ultrastructural comparisons of compatible, incompatible and -β-amino- n -butyric acid-induced resistance responses of pepper stems to Phytophthora capsici

The compatible interaction of pepper stems with Phytophthora capsici showed more rapid and severe disease development than did the incompatible interaction, although pathogen penetration styles of host cells in compatible and incompatible interactions were similar to each other. Treatment with -β-amino- n -butyric acid (BABA) protected the pepper plants against P. capsici infection. Reduced hyphal growth and sporangial formation were found after P. capsici infection in BABA-induced resistant and incompatible reactions. One of the most noticeable ultrastructural features of the BABA-induced resistant reaction was the formation of electron-dense wall appositions. The thick and dense wall appositions that encased the haustoria restricted haustorial development, thus leading to limitation of further pathogen penetration into inner plant tissues. A main host response in the incompatible interaction was the occlusion of cortical cells with an amorphous material. Plugging of the intercellular spaces in the cortical cells with electron opaque material was frequently observed in the incompatible interaction, but not in the compatible interaction. Another common feature of the BABA-induced resistant and incompatible reactions was degeneration of mitochondrial structure within penetrating hyphal cytoplasm. The mitochondrial structure in the BABA-induced resistant or incompatible reactions had no distinct double membrane layer and well-shaped cristae.     

Influence of Abscisic Acid and the Abscisic Acid Biosynthesis Inhibitor, Norflurazon, on Interactions Between Phytophthora sojae and Soybean (Glycine max)

A comparison was made of the effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and the ABA biosynthesis inhibitor, norflurazon on the interaction between soybean leaves and Phytophthora sojae. Inoculation of leaves of cv. Harosoy resulted in a compatible interaction typified by the presence of spreading, water soaked lesions with ill-defined margins while inoculation of cv. Haro 1272 resulted in an incompatible interaction with lesions restricted to the inoculation site. Activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) slowly increased in the compatible interaction but in the incompatible interaction there was a rapid rise in activity within 8h after inoculation. When Haro 1272 plants were treated with ABA the normally incompatible interaction with race 1 was changed to what resembled a compatible interaction and activity of PAL was reduced to control levels. There was no visible effect on the compatible combination. In contrast when plants of cv. Harosoy were treated with norflurazon the normally compatible interaction with race 1 was changed to that which resembled an incompatible interaction and PAL activity increased to high levels rapidly. There was no effect of norflurazon on the incompatible interaction of cv. Haro 1272 with race 1. Stomata on leaves of cv. Harosoy treated with norflurazon closed within 2h of inoculation resembling the response of stomata in normal incompatible interactions but not compatible interactions where stomata remained open. On leaves of cv. Harosoy treated with norflurazon at sites 3 and 20mm from the inoculation point stomata also closed. These results extend and confirm the idea that ABA is a molecule that may regulate the outcome of the interaction between soybeans and P. sojae.     

Programmed cell death pathways induced by early plant‐virus infection are determined by isolate virulence and stage of infection

Programmed cell death (PCD) pathways caused by Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) infection before symptom appearance were studied by light microscopy and electrolyte leakage following sap inoculation of Brassica carinata (Ethiopian mustard) TZ‐SMN‐44‐6 plants. Leaf responses to inoculation with avirulent (TuMV‐avir) and virulent (TuMV‐vir) isolates, and mock‐inoculation, were compared at 2, 20 and 52 h after inoculation (hai). The phenotypes induced were localized resistance (TuMV‐avir) and systemic susceptibility (TuMV‐vir). No visible TuMV symptoms were recorded in any inoculated plants during the 2–52 hai sampling period, but appeared as chlorotic spots in inoculated leaves at 5 days after inoculation. With TuMV‐vir alone, they were followed by systemic infection (mosaic). Dead cell number, deformation, percentage area and percentage integrated intensity, and conductivity of electrolyte leakage data, were analysed to examine their possible roles in stimulating cell death pathways. At 2 hai, dead cell number and percentage area were significantly greater for TuMV‐avir than TuMV‐vir infection or mock‐inoculation. Overall, isolate TuMV‐vir caused significantly greater cell deformation than TuMV‐avir, whereas wounding by mock‐inoculation had negligible effects. By 52 hai, isolate TuMV‐avir caused significantly greater electrolyte leakage than isolate TuMV‐vir or mock‐inoculation. This suggests both isolates triggered morphological changes consistent with apoptotic‐like PCD and necrosis‐like PCD that depended upon isolate virulence and stage of infection, respectively. These findings highlight how quantification of dead cell deformation and electrolyte leakage offer a new understanding of compatible and incompatible plant responses to early virus infection in plants.     

Mutation in the avrBs1 Avirulence Gene of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria Influences Survival of the Bacterium in Soil and Detached Leaf Tissue

ABSTRACT The role of the avrBs1 avirulence gene of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria in survival of the bacterium was investigated by testing two strains that differ in the structure and function of the gene in 37 different soil types of Barbados and detached leaf tissue of four pepper genotypes. One strain carried a mutation in the avrBs1 gene and lacked avirulence activity, while the other expressed wild-type avrBs1 activity. In 30 to 32 soil types and all leaf tissue tested, the mutant strain persisted longer and more abundantly than the wild-type strain over a 2- to 6-week period. During this time, the mutant strain generally replaced the wild-type strain completely in soil initially infested with a mixture of equal amounts of each strain and by a factor of 6.7 in similarly infested pepper leaves. Nine selected soil factors, namely pH, clay and cation content, and percent nitrogen, carbonates, carbon, K(+), Na(+), and Ca(2+) did not affect bacterial survival significantly.     

应用GST pull-down技术筛选水稻抗稻瘟病蛋白PID3互作蛋白的研究

 Pid3是从水稻中克隆获得的编码CC-NBS-LRR类蛋白的稻瘟病抗病基因。为了更深入地研究Pid3编码蛋白PID3介导的稻瘟病抗性的分子调节机制,我们应用GST pull-down结合质谱技术,对水稻抗稻瘟病蛋白PID3的互作蛋白进行了鉴定和分析。首先,成功构建了带有GST标签且能够表达PID3的CC-NBS结构域的融合蛋白表达载体pGEX6P1-PID3^CC-NBS,经诱导表达和GST beads纯化后获得GST-PID3^CC-NBS融合蛋白。我们以Pid3的转基因水稻纯合株系Pid3-TP309为研究材料,分别用对其致病和不致病的稻瘟病菌生理小种ZB13和ZHONG-10-8-14接种,然后取叶片分别提取获得两组总蛋白。用纯化后的蛋白GST-PID3 ^CC-NBS分别与两组总蛋白共培养后,利用GST pull-down技术获得了分别在抗病、感病反应中能与PID3^CC-NBS互作的两组候选蛋白。通过质谱技术鉴定这些蛋白的氨基酸序列,比对分析其在抗病、感病途径中与PID3结合的差异性,我们共筛选出31个只在PID3介导的抗稻瘟病反应中能与其特异结合的PID3互作蛋白,这些互作蛋白包括受体激酶、LRR类蛋白、ATP酶、磷酸羧化酶和离子通道蛋白等,广泛参与了调控细胞程序化死亡、胁迫防御反应、物质与能量代谢和信号传导等多个生物学过程。本研究探寻了PID3介导的抗病信号转导过程的关键因子,研究结果为揭示PID3介导的稻瘟病抗病分子机理奠定了良好基础。     

水稻和稻瘟病菌互作中的信号传导及防御反应基因诱导表达的研究

 水稻和稻瘟病菌互作是研究植物与病原菌互作的模式体系。本文利用3个水稻抗稻瘟病近等基因品系(CO39、C101LAC和C101A51)和2个特异性菌株(M209和M210)构成不同亲和程度的互作关系,研究了稻瘟病菌对3个水稻信号传导途径关键酶合成基因、5个防御反应病程相关蛋白基因和1个防御反应转录因子调控基因诱导表达的作用。结果表明:稻瘟病菌诱导了各种互作关系中水稻OsLOX、OsAOS和OsPAL酶合成基因的表达,水稻启动了茉莉酸和水杨酸防御反应信号传导途径。在不亲和的互作反应中,稻瘟病菌能不同程度地诱导水稻OsPR1a、OsPR2、OsPR3-1、OsPR3-2和OsPR4基因的表达,从而有效激活了防御反应系统,使水稻植株表现为抗病;而在亲和的互作反应中,多数OsPR基因的表达水平低、时间短或没有表达,水稻植株表现为感病。OsMyb基因在各种互作关系中有不同的诱导表达。说明这些防御相关基因的诱导表达可能与水稻抗稻瘟病性相关。     

Races of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria overcoming the gene Bs2 for bacterial spot resistance in pepper, prevalent on Capsicum chinense in Barbados and Grenada and weakly pathogenic on bell pepper and tomato in the field

A total of 404 isolates of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria , obtained from Capsicum chinense cv. West Indian Red grown in Barbados and Grenada, were differentiated into pathogenic races, and of these, 96 were tested also for selected taxonomic group phenotypes. The response of C. chinense to infection by several X. campestris pv. vesicatoria races and the contribution of races isolated from this cultivar to severity of bacterial spot of bell pepper and tomato were also investigated. P4T2, P5T2 and P6T2 were the predominant races of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria isolated from C. chinense grown in Grenada, whereas nine races (T1, P4, P6, P0T2, P1T2, P4T1, P4T2, P6T1 and P6T2) were isolated in Barbados. Race P4T2 comprised 46.0 and 71.4% of the isolates from Barbados and Grenada, respectively. The 96 isolates, all of which overcame resistance conferred by the gene Bs2 , shared taxonomic group B strain characteristics, including the presence of the β-protein band, positive amylolytic activity and inability to oxidize cis -aconitate. The C. chinense cv. West Indian Red was susceptible only to races of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria that can overcome Bs2 gene resistance. Of six such races identified in Barbados, only P4T1, P4T2 and P6T1 affected bacterial spot-susceptible bell pepper or tomato in the field, and they amounted to only 1.5–2.1% of each sample of isolates from these plant species. Moreover, they were confined to the smallest bacterial spot lesions. Bell pepper was most severely affected by combinations of races T1 with P3T2 and T2 with P0T1, and tomato by race T1 only and combinations of races P0T1 with P0T2 and P1T1 with P1T0, all of which prevailed in the field despite selection against them by C. chinense cv. West Indian Red.     

拮抗细菌菌株之间的互作关系及其对生物防治效果的影响

 木文研究了拮抗细菌菌株之间亲和性和生物防治效果之间的关系。试验结果表明:在2个拮抗细菌之间存在多种互作关系。当混合的2个菌株之间互作关系是亲和的,其生防效果有所提高,如亲和性菌株组合B3-3+J-210的防效为47.1%,明显好于单菌株B3-3(35.3%)和J-210(38.7%)的防效。当混合的2个菌株之间互作关系是不亲和的,有的菌株组合生防效果下降,如不亲和性菌株组合C8-8+J-210的防效为23.5%,明显低于单菌株C8-8(52.8%)和J-210(38.7%)的防效;有的菌株组合生防效果提高,如不亲和性菌株组合Cl-2-10+J-210的防效为50.0%,明显好于单菌株Cl-2-10(29.4%)和J-210(38.7%)的防效。因此,在生物防治的实际应用中,首先要了解单个菌株的拮抗活性和优良性能,然后将不同作用机制的拮抗菌株进行混合,并测定菌株之间的互作关系,筛选能产生协同、增效作用的菌株组合,从而保证研制开发的生防菌组合菌剂具有较好的防治效果和生态适应性。     

水稻与稻瘟病菌非亲和性互作中重要防御酶活性变化规律研究

 选以CO39为背景的水稻抗稻瘟病近等基因系,与稻瘟菌生理小种ZC₁₃(菌株97-151a)组成的3类典型非亲和性互作,以亲和性互作为对照,对各互作中过氧化物酶(POD)、苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)、几丁质酶及β-1,3-葡聚糖酶的活性变化规律进行了系统研究。完全非亲和性互作C101A51/97-151a、高度非亲和性互作C101L AC/97-151a及中度非亲和性互作C104 PKT/97-151a,POD比活性接种后即开始明显升高,48h前达到高峰,升高趋势一直持续到7d完全显症时,幅度基本与各互作非亲和程度呈正相关;亲和性互作CO39/97-151a接种后40 h POD比活性才开始升高,4~6 d达到高峰,峰值也较大。3类非亲和性互作PAL比活性在接种后0 h或16 h开始较明显升高,整个互作中形成3~4个较明显的峰;亲和性互作中PAL比活性一直明显下降。3类非亲和性互作外切几丁质酶比活性接种后即开始升高,基本一直保持升高趋势,在40 h前幅度较大,并形成1~3个较高的峰;亲和性互作外切几丁质酶比活性接种后即开始大幅度升高直至完全显症,48h后幅度远高于非亲和性互作。3类非亲和性互作β-1,3-葡聚糖酶比活性在24 h内开始较明显升高,在48h前形成2~3个较明显的峰;亲和性互作在接种后β-1,3-葡聚糖酶比活性即开始升高,在48h后显著高于非亲和性互作。讨论了POD、PAL、几丁质酶及β-1,3-葡聚糖酶参与水稻抗稻瘟病的可能性。     

外源茉莉酸甲酯诱导水稻抗瘟性相关防御酶和内源水杨酸的变化

 用外源茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)处理抗稻瘟病近等基因系水稻CO39和C101LAC,显著减轻了稻瘟病的发生,而对稻瘟病菌孢子萌发及菌丝生长均无明显抑制作用,证实MeJA处理后稻瘟病病情指数的下降是由于MeJA提高了水稻幼苗的抗瘟性。对水稻抗瘟性重要防御酶的活性测定结果表明,苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和脂氧合酶(LOX)活性均在MeJA处理早期上升,与亲和性互作水稻相比,高度非亲和性互作水稻中的诱导活性增加明显,且速度快。对病程相关蛋白β-1,3-葡聚糖酶和几丁质酶的活性测定结果表明,高度非亲和性互作水稻PR蛋白活性的高峰期出现和强度也明显要早且高于亲和性互作水稻。对内源水杨酸(SA)的测定结果表明,不同亲和性互作水稻的SA含量均没有明显的变化,表明MeJA诱导的水稻信号通路可能与SA信号通路无关。     

Transgenic production of cytokinin suppresses bacterially induced hypersensitive response symptoms and increases antioxidative enzyme levels in Nicotiana spp

Responses of cytokinin overproducing transgenic Nicotiana plants to infections with compatible and incompatible Pseudomonas syringae pathovars were compared. Plants used were transformed with the ipt(isopentenyl transferase) gene that catalyzes the synthesis of cytokinin. In cytokinin overproducing lines that carry the ipt gene fused to the CaMV 35S (Nt+ipt), the wound-inducible proteinase inhibitor II (Ntx+ipt), or the light-inducible Rubisco small subunit protein (Npl+ipt) promoter, development of the hypersensitive response (HR) after infection with incompatible bacteria (P. syringae pv. tomato) was significantly inhibited as compared to the untransformed (Nt) controls. Over a 12 h period following inoculation, P. syrinage pv. tomato populations were slightly reduced in leaves of the cytokinin-overproducing Nt-ipt line compared with the Nt control. When the compatible P. syringae. pv. tabaci was used to infect the ipt transformed lines, slight or no significant differences in necrosis development were observed. Following infection, the titer of P. syringae pv. tabaci increased rapidly in both the transgenic and control lines but was higher in Nt+ipt plants. Leaf superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme activities were about 60% higher in ipt leaf extracts than in the controls. This augmented antioxidant capacity likely decreased the amount of H(2)O(2) that may be associated with the higher tolerance of plants to pathogen-induced necrosis. In addition, the Nt+ipt lines had a significantly lower molar ratio of free sterols to phospholipids. The more stable membrane lipid composition and the higher antioxidant capacity likely contributed to the suppressed HR symptoms in the cytokinin overproducing Nt+ipt plants. In conclusion, the overproduction of cytokinins in tobacco appears to suppress the HR symptoms induced by incompatible bacteria.     

Gene-for-gene relationships between rice and diverse avrBs3/pthA avirulence genes in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

The interactions between Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) and rice are controlled in a gene-for-gene manner. In this study, a 359 bp DNA fragment of the avrXa3 gene containing three nuclear localization signal (NLS) motifs present in all members of the avrBs3/pthA family was used as a probe to screen a genomic library of the JXOIII strain of Xoo. The results demonstrated that diverse members of the family exist in the pathogen genome. The avrBs3/pthA genes occurred at isolated individual portions or in clusters. The positive avr gene clones were transferred into the virulent recipient PXO99^A. Pathogenicity tests in near isogenic lines of rice confirmed that four resistance (R) genes ( Xa2 , Xa3 , xa5 and xa8 ) matched the four avr genes ( avrXa2 , avrXa3 , avrxa5 and avrxa8 ) in the genome of Xoo strain JXOIII. The avrBs3/PthA -like gene (1·7 kb) present in cosmid p54, may specifically interact with the Xa3 gene present in IRBB3, and is designated avr/pthA3 . Sequencing indicated that there are only 1·5 copies of the 102 bp repeat unit in avr/pthA3 . Alignment of the twelfth and thirteenth amino acids in the repetitive units encoded by this gene with those in other representatives of the AvrBs3 family revealed a unique repeat arrangement which might contribute to variation in the avirulence genes in Xoo. The parental rice line IR24 was found to contain several R genes for resistance to Xoo bacterial blight.