ARS | Publication request: MULTIGENIC SEQUENCE COMPARISON OF XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA PEAR LEAF SCORCH STRAINS FROM TAIWAN TO STRAINS FROM AMERICAS

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 15, 2006
Publication Date: July 29, 2006
Citation: Chen, J., Su, C.C., Chang, C.J. 2006. Multigenic sequence comparison of xylella fastidiosa pear leaf scorch strains from taiwan to strains from americas. [abstract]. Phytopathology. 96:S23

Technical Abstract: Pear leaf scorch (PLS) strains of Xylella fastidiosa isolated in Taiwan were compared to strains isolated from South and North Americas at 18 genomic loci selected from the completely sequenced genomes of strains Temecula, causing grapevine Pierce’s disease (PD), and strain 9a5c, causing citrus variegated chlorosis. Primers were designed based on the Temecula genome sequence and used to conduct PCR on PLS strains and America PD and almond leaf scorch disease (ALSD) strains. Both PD and ALSD strains were PCR positive. In contrast, PLS strains were positive only with eight primer sets from mdh, rpmE, gltA, rpfA, rpfB, sucD, dnaN and gyrB. Efforts were made to sequence the PCR amplicons of PLS strains from the eight genomic loci. Among the three completed (mdh, rpmE and sucD), sequences between PLS strains were highly similar. Similarity between a PLS strain and the America strains represented by strain Temecula was 87% (749/852) at mdh, 92% (222/240) at rpmE and 90% (831/921) at gltA. The loci with no PCR amplification indicated the absence or high degree of sequence heterogeneity. These data indicate the presence of a Taiwan-PLS cluster distinct from the known America strains clusters of X. fastidiosa.