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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #384724
Research Project: Characterization of Molecular Networks in Diseases Caused by Emerging and Persistent Bacterial Plant Pathogens

Location: Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research

Title: Functional genomics characterization of the interactions between Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp. during potato soft rot infection

Author
item Helmann, Tyler
item Filiatrault, Melanie
item Stodghill, Paul

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2021
Publication Date: 12/2/2021
Citation: Helmann, T.C., Filiatrault, M.J., Stodghill, P. 2021. Functional genomics characterization of the interactions between Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp. during potato soft rot infection. Meeting Abstract. https://www.ismpmi.org/Pages/default.aspx.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp. can cause blackleg and soft rot of potato (Solanum tuberosum), resulting in stem or tuber decay and crop loss. In the field, members of these genera are commonly co-isolated from diseased plants, suggesting a potential synergistic interaction. However, it is unclear if these co-infections are opportunistic or the result of active cooperation. Furthermore, mechanisms that would allow cooperation or synergy between these bacterial species are not known. To address these questions, we co-inoculated large (>300,000 mutants) barcoded transposon libraries in D. dianthicola strains ME23 and 67-19 with either wild-type P. carotovorum WPP14 or P. parmentieri WPP163 in potato tubers (cv. “Atlantic”). Measuring changes in the relative abundance of each Dickeya mutant during infection allowed us to quantify per-gene contributions to fitness during this interaction. Previous testing of these Dickeya mutant libraries individually identified genes broadly important for growth in the tuber. Building upon this dataset, we aim to identify genes specifically important for in planta growth in the presence of Pectobacterium. Barcoded TnSeq enables the enrichment of informative DNA sequence, which is particularly useful for analyzing mixed cultures that are more representative of typical field conditions. Understanding these Dickeya and Pectobacterium interactions will aid efforts to find innovative solutions for management of these pathogens.