Bacterial diseases of potatoes: from classical phytobacteriology to molecular pathogenicity

Various bacterial pathogens attack potato plants and tubers. These pathogens includeErwinia, Corynebacterium (Clavibacter), Psuedomonas andStreptomyces. Over the past few years there have been significant advances in the molecular biological analysis of several of these pathogens and this is now helping us to understand the major aspects of virulence mechanisms. However, to date, such information is not sufficiently useful to allow us to intervene rationally in these potato diseases, except by the standard practises of good husbandry.     

异柠檬酸裂解酶抑制剂对L-谷氨酸合成的影响

[目的]研究琥珀酸和苹果酸对L-谷氨酸合成的影响。[方法]以谷氨酸棒杆菌的典型茵株Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032为供试菌株,研究琥珀酸和苹果酸对细胞生长、L-谷氨酸的合成、发酵液中的残糖量以及细胞中异柠檬酸裂解酶活性的影响。[结果]琥珀酸对异柠檬酸裂解酶的活性具有部分抑制作用。在0-5．0g／L范围内,琥珀酸的添加提高了L-谷氨酸发酵的糖酸转化率,细胞生长和L-谷氨酸分泌受到抑制,残糖量增大。苹果酸的添加降低了异柠檬酸裂解酶的活性和L-谷氨酸的产量,残糖量和细胞生长没有明显的规律性变化。同时添加琥珀酸和苹果酸各2．0g/L时,异柠檬酸裂解酶的活性和细胞生长都有所下降,L-谷氨酸的产量和残糖量没有明显变化。[结论]添加琥珀酸增加了L-谷氨酸的产量,添加苹果酸则降低了L-谷氨酸的产量。     

In Planta - Complementation of Clavibacter Michiganensis Subsp. sepedonicus Strains Deficient in Cellulase Production or HR Induction Restores Virulence

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, a Gram positive bacterium that causes bacterial ring rot of potato, was studied in eggplant, an alternate host, using strains that differed in phenotype. Two factors affecting virulence, the ability to induce a hypersensitive response (HR) and cellulase production, were studied. A plasmid-free isolate of C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus that causes HR on tobacco but is unable to produce cellulase multiplied efficiently in planta, but caused only weak symptoms. In contrast, a strain that is unable to induce HR on tobacco but produces cellulase was impaired in the ability to multiply in the host and caused no symptoms. When the two non-virulent strains were coinoculated into eggplants, typical disease symptoms developed. This enhancement was not due to formation of a new phenotype or significant increases in population density of either of the strains. Our results suggest that both cellulase production and the ability to induce HR are required for a successful infection process and disease induction by C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus. Our results additionally suggest that the ability to induce HR on non-host plants is required for multiplication in the host plant, whereas cellulase expression is necessary for induction of disease symptoms.     

Corynebacterium pyrogenes; a biochemical and serological study

The study comprises 136 strains of Corynebacterium pyogenes originating from cattle (105), swine (20), sheep (1), and insects (10). For comparison 2 strains of human origin and 1 strain of Gorynebacterium hemolyticum were examined.One of the bovine strains was atypical, being gelatinase-negative, otherwise the strains of Cb. pyogenes were found to be biochemically identical apart from minor deviations in fermentation patterns (Table 1). Neither were antigenic differences demonstrated (gel diffusion analyses, Figs. 1 and 2).Both of the human strains agreed biochemically with Cb. pyogenes (Table 1). By gel diffusion cross analyses one of them was found to be identical with Cb. pyogenes, the other not, though anti-genically related to it (Fig. 2).Gb. hemolyticum deviated biochemically as well as serologically from Gb. pyogenes, but the 2 organisms shared antigenic determinants (Fig. 3).     

Re-emergence of Pigeon Fever (Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis) Infection in Texas Horses: Epidemiologic Investigation of Laboratory-Diagnosed Cases

In recent years, Texas has seen a dramatic increase in the number of clinical cases of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (pigeon fever) infection in horses. Equine pigeon fever cases at Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratories (TVMDL) were analyzed with the objectives of investigating the spatiotemporal distribution and seasonal and annual trends of pigeon fever infection in horses in Texas between 2005 and 2011 and identifying high-risk areas and create a risk map for pigeon fever in horses in Texas. The study population consisted of horses culture-positive for C. pseudotuberculosis between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011 at TVMDL. The Poisson model of scan statistics was fitted to identify disease clusters. Empirical Bayesian smoothing was performed with the crude incidence estimates, followed by the geostatistical method of kriging to delineate high-risk areas. Cases increased 10-fold between 2005 and 2011. The annual cumulative incidence ranged from 9.3 to 99.5 per 100,000 horses at risk. Two seasonal peaks in the number of cases were observed in June and in December. Scan statistics identified a primary cluster in central Texas in 2011 (P < .0001 and relative risk of 9.2). Isopleth risk mapping also delineated a high-risk area in central Texas. High-risk areas were also detected in the panhandle and northern Texas. The epidemiological investigation supported anecdotal reports that pigeon fever is re-emerging in the Texas horse population. This study provides a baseline for future investigations of pigeon fever in the Texas horse population and serves as a reference for the disease distribution for veterinarians and horse owners.     

Resistance to Corynebacterium michiganense in tomato genotypes

Summary The highest level of resistance to Corynebacterium michiganense was found in Irat L3 and Okitsu Sozai 1–20. Resistance was partial and symptomless plants proved to be carriers of the disease. The resistance is at least partially based on a diminished multiplication of the pathogen in the host plant.     

Corynebacterium equi: An interhost review with emphasis on the foal

A review of the recent and/or significant literature concerning Corynebacterium equi, including its morphologic, biochemical, immunological, and pathological characteristics in the foal, humans and other animals is presented. The similarity in the tissue responses of mammalian hosts to C. equi and Mycobacterium spp. is discussed.

The antigenic structure and virulence factors associated with C. equi. other corynebacteria and mycobacteria are compared.

The immunological aspects of resistance to C. equi are considered. The evidence suggests that the major immune response elicited in the foal by C. equi is cell-mediated. However, the immunopathogenic mechanism needs clarification. Areas of future research are suggested.     

Induction of interferon production in mice by delipidated whole cells and fractions of the aerobic corynebacterium, Corynebacterium catarrhalis

The i.v. or i.p. injection of delipidated whole cells of an aerobic Corynebacterium, designated as C. catarrahalis, resulted in the production of a low titre of interferon in mice. Two fractions, a particulate fraction, designated as CBA p40, and a soluble fraction, designated as CBA LS, could be isolated from the delipidated whole cells and were found to lead to the formation of more or less high interferon levels according to the route of administration. Furthermore, the CBA p40 fraction, when injected i.p., elicited the production of a maximum titre of interferon at the 24th hour (viral-like interferon).     

Recent observations on leafy gall in Liliaceae and some other families

Corynebacterium fascians, which causes leafy gall, has been shown to be responsible for the unusual symptoms recently found in lilies. The symptoms are described and the different bacterial isolates compared by biochemical, serological and pathogenicity experiments. No evidence could be found for the existence of specialized strains even though considerable variation in virulence could be demonstrated. Although the role of variation in susceptibility of the different lily cultivars should not be underestimated, it would appear that high inoculum levels ofC. fascians in the soil may be largely responsible for these outbreaks.Also included in this study are the results of biochemical, serological and pathogenicity experiments ofC. fascians which has been isolated fromKalanchoe, Euphorbia, Brodiaea, Hebe andVerbascum.Samenvatting Reeds een aantal jaren was in lelies een woekering in stengelbollen bekend, die echter sporadisch voorkwam en economisch van weinig betekenis was. Tijdens de zomer van 1977 echter trad de ziekte op één enkel perceel zo ernstig op dat zeer aanzienlijke oogstderving het gevolg was. Behalve de stengelbol kan ook de hoofdbol misvormd zijn. Bovendien kunnen misvormde stengelbollen lange spruiten vormen, zgn. sabeltandvorming. Soms is het wortelstelsel gereduceerd; in de kas zijn verdikte stengels waargenomen. De ziekte staat nu bekend onder de naam woekerziekte.Door de PD te Wageningen en het LBO te Lisse werd de bacterieCorynebacterium fascians (Tilford) Dows. uit het zieke materiaal geïsoleerd. In gezamenlijk onderzoek werd nagegaan of de bacterie de veroorzaker is van bovengenoemde symptomen en of hier sprake is van een op lelie gespecialiseerde stam.Biochemische en serologische vergelijkingen tussen isolaten vanC. fascians uit lelie,Kalanchoe, Euphorbia, Brodiaeea, Hebe enVerbascum laten zien dat er zeer weinig verschillen bestaan. Alle isolaten reageren op een standaard antiserum met titers variërend tussen 1: 640–1: 5120.Een oriënterende inoculatieproef werd uitgevoerd op het LBO in 1977. Daarna werden op de PD 10 van de 25 isolaten uit lelie en 8 uit andere waardplanten getoetst op lelie, chrysant en lathyrus. Uit de inoculatieproeven blijkt, dat de bacterie de veroorzaker is van de waargenomen symptomen. Tussen de isolaten blijkt een groot verschil in pathogeniteit te bestaan (12–100% aantasting), zonder dat dit aan herkomst gebonden is. Het voorkomen van op lelie of andere waardplanten gespecialiseerde stammen is daarom niet aan te nemen.In hoeverre de hevige aantasting een gevolg is van een opbouw van de bacterie-populatie door een te nauwe vruchtwisseling en mechanische rooimethoden moet worden nagegaan.     

Two Cases of Cutaneous Diphtheria Associated with Occupational Pig Contact in Germany

In 2010, two independent cases of cutaneous diphtheria caused by toxigenic C. ulcerans were identified in Germany. Both patients had intense occupational contact with pigs. Diagnostic work‐up comprising biochemical differentiation, rpoB sequencing, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF) analysis, real‐time tox PCR and Elek test as well as public health measures including an intensified source tracing involving 83 asymptomatic pigs of an associated pig farm are presented.