A yellows disease system with differing principal host plants for the obligatory pathogen and its vector

A stolbur‐type phytoplasma is the putative pathogen of grapevine yellows disease that causes economic damage to vineyards in most growing areas around the world. The pathogen is known to be transmitted to vines by two planthoppers, Hyalesthes obsoletus and Reptalus panzer; the latter is found in Europe but has not yet been observed in Israel. The establishment of a vector–pathogen–plant relationship requires that the pathogen and the vector meet on a shared host plant. This does not happen in the ecosystem examined here, where two different principal host plants for the obligate pathogen and its vector exist: the pathogen is established on vines, while its vector, H. obsoletus, develops on Vitex agnus‐castus. The present study verified that: (i) the vector cannot complete its life cycle on vines; (ii) V. agnus‐castus does not grow in the immediate vicinity of vines, and does not harbour the pathogen; and (iii) the pathogen is not vertically transmitted from mother to offspring. Moreover, in a thorough search of plants in vine growing areas, no other plants were found that host both the vector and the pathogen. However, it was found that the planthopper can acquire the phytoplasma from infected vines. Nonetheless, this does not prove the ability of the planthopper to further transmit the pathogen to vines and does not explain the presence of the vector on the non‐preferred vines. Thus, the enigma of the pathogen–vector–host triangle in this system remains unresolved.     

High diversity,expanding populations and purifying selection in phytoplasmas causing coconut lethal yellowing in Mozambique

In this study, the putative phytoplasma species causing coconut lethal yellowing disease in Mozambique and Tanzania were characterized. The 16S rRNA and secA genes were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Mozambican coconut phytoplasmas belong to three different types: ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma palmicola’ 16SrXXII‐A, a second strain that was previously isolated in Tanzania and Kenya (16SrIV‐C), and a third strain that was different from all known lethal yellowing phytoplasma species. The third strain potentially represents a novel species and is closely related to pine phytoplasma. Co‐infection with ‘Ca. Phytoplasma pini’‐related and ‘Ca. Phytoplasma palmicola’ 16SrXXII‐A strains was observed. Furthermore, sequence variation in ‘Ca. Phytoplasma palmicola’ at the population level was consistent with purifying selection and population expansion.     

Glomus mosseae bioprotection against aster yellows phytoplasma (16srI-B) and Spiroplasma citri infection in Madagascar periwinkle

The bio-control potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae against two pathogenic microorganisms aster yellows (AY) phytoplasma and Spiroplasma citri has been examined in Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus). G. mosseae had a positive influence on healthy C. roseus plants and S. citri infection. It provided bioprotection against S. citri pathogen and induced significant degree of resistance to spiroplasma infection. Besides, symptom expression significantly reduced and shoot height, leaves number, root fresh and dry weight increased in spiroplasma-infected plants treated with mycorrhiza fungus. Although, G. mosseae had no positive effect on phytoplasma disease. The root architectures were affected by the phytoplasma pathogen, and the root surface area dramatically decreased in G. mosseae treated AY-infected periwinkles compared with the control. Nitrogen and Phosphorus concentrations notably increased in spiroplasma + G. mosseae compared with control plants. Potassium concentration did not differ significantly in all mycorrhizal treated and untreated infected plants except in G. mosseae treated healthy plants. The spore density and root colonization rate did not vary in both pathogen treatments G. mosseae + spiroplasma and G. mosseae + phytoplasma. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the bioprotective effect of G. mosseae on S. citri. The possible mechanisms involved in complex interaction between plants, cell wall-less bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are discussed and the underlying mechanisms for the functioning of AMF are hypothesized.     

山东蚕区桑黄化型萎缩病病原物的分子鉴定

以采自山东省宁阳市桑园的桑黄化型萎缩病发病植株叶脉组织为材料,通过PCR扩增植原体16S rRNA基因及延伸因子基因(tuf)和核糖体蛋白基因(rp),分别得到大小约为1.4、0.8和1.2 kb的目的片段并测定序列。以该病原物的16S rRNA基因与GanBank中相关的植原体16S rRNA基因序列构建系统发育树并进行RFLP分析,结果显示该病原物属于翠菊黄化组的16SⅠr-B亚组,与翠菊黄化组16SⅠr-B亚组典型成员的同源性为99.9%。进一步对延伸因子基因和核糖体蛋白基因构建系统发育树并做RFLP分析,结果显示该病原物与翠菊黄化组的tuⅠf-B亚组典型成员和rpⅠ-B亚组典型成员的同源性分别达到99.6%、99.9%。由此在3个基因水平确定该植原体的分类地位属于16SrⅠ-B、tuⅠf-B和rpⅠ-B亚组。     

樱桃花变绿病植原体的分子鉴定

 植原体(phytoplasma)是一类没有细胞壁,不能人工培养,存在于植物筛管细胞中的类似植物病原细菌的原核生物。迄今为止,世界各地报道的1 000余种植物病害与植原体有关,引起的症状主要包括丛枝、黄化、花变绿、花变叶、花器退化等。     

西北旱区枣疯病植原体核糖体蛋白基因的生物信息学分析

枣疯病是枣树上的一种具有毁灭性的植原体病害,几乎分布于国内所有的枣树栽培区,造成了巨大的经济损失.对我国陕西、宁夏、甘肃3省枣疯病样品植原体核糖体蛋白基因进行克隆和测序,获得枣疯病植原体的核糖体基因片段为1 196bp,包含部分rps19,rpl22和rps3三个基因,其中rpl22和rps3大小分别354bp和753bp,分别编码118和251个氨基酸,且这两个基因为非重叠基因.序列同源性比较结果表明:我国陕西、宁夏、甘肃的枣疯病植原体的核糖体蛋白rp基因大小一致,归属于植原体16S rⅤ-B组;该植原体核糖体蛋白基因特性与樱桃致死黄化(CLY5)和桃树黄化印度分离株系(PY-In)植原体相似.首次报道了我国枣疯病核糖体蛋白基因rp基因的序列,把枣疯病植原体归到16S rⅤ-B组,为枣疯病植原体提供了新的分类依据.     

小麦蓝矮病植原体核糖体蛋白rpl22和rps3的生物信息学分析

【目的】将生物信息学方法应用于小麦蓝矮病植原体(WBD)的分类研究,确定了小麦蓝矮病植原体的分类地位。【方法】应用植原体核糖体蛋白(rp)基因通用引物对rpF1/rpR1,对WBD进行PCR扩增并得到特异片段,对特异片段进行测定及同源性分析。【结果】序列测定结果表明,WBDrp基因片段长1 240 bp,包含部分rps19基因和全部的rpl22和rps3基因,且后2个基因为重叠基因,分别编码129和252个氨基酸,rpl22和rps3蛋白的等电点分别为12.605和11.755。【结论】WBD与16SrⅠ-C亚组中三叶草绿变病(Clover phyllody)的KVE、KVG、CPh株系亲缘关系最近,核苷酸同源性依次为99.7%,99.6%和99.0%,WBD与KVE株系的rpl22和rps3基因编码的氨基酸同源性分别为100%和98%,因此将小麦蓝矮病植原体划归到16SrⅠ-C亚组。     

海南槟榔黄化病病原物的分子鉴定

槟榔黄化病是槟榔上的一种重要病害,如何快速检测该病原菌是防治该病的重要基础。利用植原体16SrDNA通用引物对海南感染黄化病的槟榔花苞总DNA进行巢式PCR扩增,获得约1.2kb的特异片段,并对扩增产物进行核苷酸序列测定。通过BLAST程序比较、系统进化树构建及iPhyClassifier分析表明,引起海南槟榔黄化病病原植原体属于翠菊黄化植原体组(16SrⅠ组),且为该组中一个新的亚组,即G亚组,现将其暂命名槟榔黄化植原体(Arecanut yellow leaf phytoplasma,AYL)。     

安徽桑黄花型萎缩病植原体16S rDNA序列分析及分子检测

 Mulberry yellow dwarf(MYD)disease is an quarantine disease and the causal agent is a phytoplasma.Two pairs of published universal primer, P1/P7 and Rm16F2/Rm16R1, based on the 16S-23S rDNA sequence of phytoplasma and total DNA extracted from infected mulberry tissues were employed for PCR and nested-PCR detection.The results revealed that a phytoplasma-specific 1 830 bp fragment with a G+C content of 46.01% was sequenced(GenBank accession No.GQ249410).The sequence shared 99.7% and 99.8% identity with aster yellows, the representatiive phytoplasma in 16SrI group, and mulberry dwarf phytoplasma classified into subgroup B in 16SrI group and named as the MYD phytoplasma strain Anhui(MYD-Anh).A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rDNA sequences was constructed and showed that MYD-Anh was clustered into 16SrI group.Identity of 16S rDNA sequence between MYD-Anh and mulberry yellow dwarf phytoplasma strain Zhenjiang(MD-zj) was nearly 100%, and they might belong to the same strain.Nested-PCR was used to detect the pathogenic phytoplasma from the differential tissues of mulberry infected with MYD-Anh.The results showed that a phytoplasma-specific 1.4 kb fragment was amplified with total DNA extracted from bark and vein.Nested-PCR was more sensitive than PCR for detecting MYD phytoplasma.