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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #358355
Research Project: Development of New Production Methodologies for Biocontrol Agents and Fastidious Microbes to Improve Plant Disease Management

Location: Crop Bioprotection Research

Title: Impact of the genomics revolution on the taxonomy of bacterial biocontrol agents

Author
item Dunlap, Christopher

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2019
Publication Date: 3/1/2019
Citation: Dunlap, C.A. 2019. Impact of the genomics revolution on the taxonomy of bacterial biocontrol agents. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The revolution in DNA sequencing technology has led to and improved understanding of genetics and taxonomy of biocontrol agents. Our lab recently reported the genomes of some important Bacillus bacterial biocontrol agents, which in turn resulted in a change of taxonomy for these commercially important strains. Our study showed that four species of Bacillus (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Bacillus oryzicola and Bacillus velezensis) are the same species. Under the rules of prokaryote taxonomy, the name of the first described species takes precedent over the other names. In this case, Bacillus velezensis, is the correct nomenclature for these strains. This class of Bacillus strains is the second most popular commercial prokaryotic biocontrol agents after Bacillus thuringiensis. In addition, our knowledge of what defines a given “species” has greatly changed in the last five years. Now correctly identifying your strains can directly provide more information about the physiology and phenotype of your strain.