A novel linkage map of sugarcane with evidence for clustering of retrotransposon-based markers.

BACKGROUND: The development of sugarcane as a sustainable crop has unlimited applications. The crop is one of the most economically viable for renewable energy production, and CO2 balance. Linkage maps are valuable tools for understanding genetic and genomic organization, particularly in sugarcane due to its complex polyploid genome of multispecific origins. The overall objective of our study was to construct a novel sugarcane linkage map, compiling AFLP and EST-SSR markers, and to generate data on the distribution of markers anchored to sequences of scIvana_1, a complete sugarcane transposable element, and member of the Copia superfamily. RESULTS: The mapping population parents ('IAC66-6' and 'TUC71-7') contributed equally to polymorphisms, independent of marker type, and generated markers that were distributed into nearly the same number of co-segregation groups (or CGs). Bi-parentally inherited alleles provided the integration of 19 CGs. The marker number per CG ranged from two to 39. The total map length was 4,843.19 cM, with a marker density of 8.87 cM. Markers were assembled into 92 CGs that ranged in length from 1.14 to 404.72 cM, with an estimated average length of 52.64 cM. The greatest distance between two adjacent markers was 48.25 cM. The scIvana_1-based markers (56) were positioned on 21 CGs, but were not regularly distributed. Interestingly, the distance between adjacent scIvana_1-based markers was less than 5 cM, and was observed on five CGs, suggesting a clustered organization. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated the use of a NBS-profiling technique was efficient to develop retrotransposon-based markers in sugarcane. The simultaneous maximum-likelihood estimates of linkage and linkage phase based strategies confirmed the suitability of its approach to estimate linkage, and construct the linkage map. Interestingly, using our genetic data it was possible to calculate the number of retrotransposon scIvana_1 (~60) copies in the sugarcane genome, confirming previously reported molecular results. In addition, this research possibly will have indirect implications in crop economics e.g., productivity enhancement via QTL studies, as the mapping population parents differ in response to an important fungal disease.

Diversity of endophytic yeasts from sweet orange and their localization by scanning electron microscopy.

Endophytes are microorganisms that colonize plant tissues internally without causing harm to the host. Despite the increasing number of studies on sweet orange pathogens and endophytes, yeast has not been described as a sweet orange endophyte. In the present study, endophytic yeasts were isolated from sweet orange plants and identified by sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA. Plants sampled from four different sites in the state of São Paulo, Brazil exhibited different levels of CVC (citrus variegated chlorosis) development. Three citrus endophytic yeasts (CEYs), chosen as representative examples of the isolates observed, were identified as Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Pichia guilliermondii and Cryptococcus flavescens. These strains were inoculated into axenic Citrus sinensis seedlings. After 45 days, endophytes were re-isolated in populations ranging from 10(6) to 10(9) CFU/g of plant tissue, but, in spite of the high concentrations of yeast cells, no disease symptoms were observed. Colonized plant material was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and yeast cells were found mainly in the stomata and xylem of plants, reinforcing their endophytic nature. P. guilliermondii was isolated primarily from plants colonized by the causal agent of CVC, Xylella fastidiosa. The supernatant from a culture of P. guilliermondii increased the in vitro growth of X. fastidiosa, suggesting that the yeast could assist in the establishment of this pathogen in its host plant and, therefore, contribute to the development of disease symptoms.

Role of the ABC transporter TruMDR2 in terbinafine, 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide and ethidium bromide susceptibility in Trichophyton rubrum.

A single-copy gene, designated TruMDR2, encoding an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter was cloned and sequenced from the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum. The ORF of TruMDR2 was 4048 nt and the deduced amino acid sequence showed high homology with ABC transporters involved in drug efflux in other fungi. The encoded ABC protein predicted 12 transmembrane segments (TMSs) and two almost identical nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) arranged in two halves in a (TMS(6)-NBD)(2) configuration and could be classified as a member of the multidrug-resistance (MDR) class of ABC transporters. Northern blot analyses revealed an increased level of transcription of the TruMDR2 gene when mycelium was exposed to acriflavine, benomyl, ethidium bromide, ketoconazole, chloramphenicol, griseofulvin, fluconazole, imazalil, itraconazole, methotrexate, 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO) or tioconazole. Disruption of the TruMDR2 gene rendered the mutant more sensitive to terbinafine, 4NQO and ethidium bromide than the control strain, suggesting that this transporter plays a role in modulating drug susceptibility in T. rubrum.

A bacterium belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex associated with Pleurotus ostreatus.

Pleurotus ostreatus is a widely cultivated white-rot fungus. Owing to its considerable enzymatic versatility P. ostreatus has become the focus of increasing attention for its possible utility in biobleaching and bioremediation applications. Interactions between microorganisms can be an important factor in those processes. In this study, we describe the presence of a bacterial species associated with P. ostreatus strain G2. This bacterial species grew slowly (approximately 30 days) in the liquid and semi-solid media tested. When P. ostreatus was inoculated in solid media containing Tween 80 or Tween 20, bacterial microcolonies were detected proximal to the fungal colonies, and the relevant bacterium was identified via the analysis of a partial 16S rDNA sequence; it was determined to belong to the Burkholderia cepacia complex, but was not closely related to other fungus-isolated Burkholderiaceae. New specific primers were designed, and confirmed the presence of in vitro P. ostreatus cultures. This is the first time that a bacterial species belonging to the B. cepacia complex has been found associated with P. ostreatus.

Endophytic population of Pantoea agglomerans in citrus plants and development of a cloning vector for endophytes.

Harmless bacteria inhabiting inner plant tissues are termed endophytes. Population fluctuations in the endophytic bacterium Pantoea agglomerans associated with two species of field cultured citrus plants were monitored over a two-year period. The results demonstrated that populations of P. agglomerans fluctuated in Citrus reticulata but not C. sinensis. A cryptic plasmid pPA3.0 (2.9 kb) was identified in 35 out of 44 endophytic isolates of P. agglomerans and was subsequently sequenced. The origins of replication were identified and nine out of 18 open reading frames (ORFs) revealed homology with described proteins. Notably, two ORFs were related to cellular transport systems and plasmid maintenance. Plasmid pPA3.0 was cloned and the gfp gene inserted to generate the pPAGFP vector. The vector was introduced into P. agglomerans isolates and revealed stability was dependent on the isolate genotype, ninety-percent stability values were reached after 60 hours of bacterial cultivation in most evaluated isolates. In order to definitively establish P. agglomerans as an endophyte, the non-transformed bacterium was reintroduced into in vitro cultivated seedlings and the density of inner tissue colonization in inoculated plants was estimated by bacterium re-isolation, while the tissue niches preferred by the bacterium were investigated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Cells from P. agglomerans (strain ARB18) at similar densities were re-isolated from roots, stems and leaves and colonization of parenchyma and xylem tissues were observed. Data suggested that P. agglomerans is a ubiquitous citrus endophyte harboring cryptic plasmids. These characteristics suggest the potential to use the bacterium as a vehicle to introduce new genes in host plants via endophytic bacterial transformation.

Model plants for studying the interaction between Methylobacterium mesophilicum and Xylella fastidiosa.

Over the last few years, endophytic bacterial communities associated with citrus have been studied as key components interacting with Xylella fastidiosa. In this study, we investigated the possible interaction between the citrus endophyte Methylobacterium mesophilicum SR1.6/6 and X. fastidiosa in model plants such as Catharanthus roseus (Madagaskar periwinkle) and Nicotiana clevelandii (Clevelands tobacco). The aim of this study was to establish the fate of M. mesophilicum SR1.6/6 after inoculation of C. roseus and N. clevelandii plants, using PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction--denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) and plating techniques. Shifts in the indigenous endophytic bacterial communities were observed in plants inoculated with strain SR1.6/6, using specific primers targeting alpha- and beta-Proteobacteria. Cells of strain SR1.6/6 were observed in a biofilm structure on the root and hypocotyl surfaces of in vitro seedlings inoculated with M. mesophilicum SR1.6/6. This emphasizes the importance of these tissues as main points of entrance for this organism. The results showed that C. roseus and N. clevelandii could be used as model plants to study the interaction between M. mesophilicum and X. fastidiosa.

Molecular characterization of a beta-1,4-endoglucanase from an endophytic Bacillus pumilus strain.

Endophytes comprise mainly microorganisms that colonize inner plant tissues, often living with the host in a symbiotic manner. Several ecological roles have been assigned to endophytic fungi and bacteria, such as antibiosis to phytopathogenic agents and plant growth promotion. Nowadays, endophytes are viewed as a new source of genes, proteins and biochemical compounds that may be used to improve industrial processes. In this study, the gene EglA was cloned from a citrus endophytic Bacillus strain. The EglA encodes a beta-1,4-endoglucanase capable of hydrolyzing cellulose under in vitro conditions. The predicted protein, EglA, has high homology to other bacterial cellulases and shows a modular structure containing a catalytic domain of the glycosyl hydrolase family 9 (GH9) and a cellulose-binding module type 3 (CBM3). The enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and characterized. EglA has an optimum pH range of 5-8, and remarkable heat stability, retaining more than 85% activity even after a 24-h incubation at pH 6-8.6. This characteristic is an important feature for further applications of this enzyme in biotechnological processes in which temperatures of 50-60 degrees C are required over long incubation periods.

Identification and genomic characterization of a new virus (Tymoviridae family) associated with citrus sudden death disease.

Citrus sudden death (CSD) is a new disease that has killed approximately 1 million orange trees in Brazil. Here we report the identification of a new virus associated with the disease. RNAs isolated from CSD-affected and nonaffected trees were used to construct cDNA libraries. A set of viral sequences present exclusively in libraries of CSD-affected trees was used to obtain the complete genome sequence of the new virus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this virus is a new member of the genus Marafivirus. Antibodies raised against the putative viral coat proteins allowed detection of viral antigens of expected sizes in affected plants. Electron microscopy of purified virus confirmed the presence of typical isometric Marafivirus particles. The screening of 773 affected and nonaffected citrus trees for the presence of the virus showed a 99.7% correlation between disease symptoms and the presence of the virus. We also detected the virus in aphids feeding on affected trees. These results suggest that this virus is likely to be the causative agent of CSD. The virus was named Citrus sudden death-associated virus.

Synthesis and secretion of phosphatases by endophytic isolates of Colletotrichum musae grown under conditions of nutritional starvation.

Even though fungal phosphatases are widely used to study ambient-regulated gene expression, little is known about these enzymes in the agriculturally important genus Colletotrichum. We have therefore identified several phosphatase activities in endophytic isolates of Colletotrichum musae grown under conditions of nutritional sufficiency or starvation for sources of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and sulphur (S). These enzyme forms could be distinguished by substrate specificity, optimum pH, activation and inhibition by some substances, response to nutritional starvation, and pattern of migration in native gel electrophoresis. At least four individual phosphatase activities were identified under the growth conditions employed. A pH 5.0 acid phosphatase and an Mg(2+)-dependent pH 7.5 phosphodiesterase were expressed under all growth conditions at constant rates. Under conditions of P-starvation, derepression of a major pH 6.0-acid phosphatase was observed in cell-free extracts and the culture medium. A synthesis of alkaline phosphatase activities followed a more distinct pattern. Under conditions of nutritional sufficiency of P- or N-starvation, only a single intracellular enzyme form (optimum pH 10) was observed, which was resolved as a single electrophoretic activity band. However, in media lacking C or S sources additional alkaline phosphatase forms were derepressed with a concomitant increase in the overall enzyme activity level measured at pH 10. To our knowledge, this report represents the most detailed study of phosphatases in Colletotrichum and the first partial characterization of the phosphatase system in an endophytic fungus.

Glucose and trehalose PTS permeases of Spiroplasma citri probably share a single IIA domain, enabling the spiroplasma to adapt quickly to carbohydrate changes in its environment.

Spiroplasma citri is a plant-pathogenic mollicute phylogenetically related to Gram-positive bacteria. Spiroplasma cells are restricted to the phloem sieve tubes and are transmitted from plant to plant by the leafhopper vector Circulifer haematoceps. In the plant sieve tubes, S. citri grows on glucose and fructose, whereas in the leafhopper haemolymph the spiroplasma must grow on trehalose, the major sugar in insects. Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that fructose utilization was a key factor of spiroplasmal pathogenicity. To further study the implication of sugar metabolism in the interactions of S. citri with its plant host and its leafhopper vector, genes encoding permease enzymes II (EII(Glc) and EII(Tre)) of the S. citri phosphoenolpyruvate : glucose and phosphoenolpyruvate : trehalose phosphotransferase systems (PTS) were characterized. Mapping studies revealed that the EII(Glc) complex was split into two distinct polypeptides, IIA(Glc) and IICB(Glc), encoded by two separate genes, crr and ptsG, respectively. As expected, S. citri polypeptides IIA(Glc) and IICB(Glc) were more phylogenetically related to their counterparts from Gram-positive than to those from Gram-negative bacteria. The trehalose operon consisted of three genes treR, treP and treA, encoding a transcriptional regulator, the PTS permease (EII(Tre)) and the amylase, respectively. However, in contrast to the fructose-PTS permease, which is encoded as a single polypeptide (IIABC(Fru)) containing the three domains A, B and C, the trehalose-PTS permease (IIBC(Tre)) lacks its own IIA domain. No trehalose-specific IIA could be identified in the spiroplasmal genome, suggesting that the IIBC(Tre) permease probably functions with the IIA(Glc) domain. In agreement with this statement, yeast two-hybrid system experiments revealed that the IIA(Glc) domain interacted not only with IIB(Glc) but also with the IIB(Tre) domain. The results are discussed with respect to the ability of the spiroplasma to adapt from the phloem sap of the host plant to the haemolymph and salivary gland cells of the insect vector.

Purification and properties of pi-repressible acid phosphatases from Aspergillus nidulans.

Two forms of the pacA-encoded acid phosphatase (designated acid phosphatases I and II) secreted by the mold Aspergillus nidulans grown in low-Pi medium at 37 degrees, pH5.0, were purified to apparent homogeneity by PAGE. The M(r) of the purified enzyme forms were ca 115000 (60000) and 113000 (62000) respectively for forms I and II secreted by strain biA1 and ca 118000 (60000) and 121000 (61000) respectively for forms I and II secreted by strain biA1 pacA1, as determined by exclusion chromatography (number between brackets are the M(r) as determined by SDS-PAGE). All of these purified enzyme forms showed an apparent optimum pH ranging from 6.0 to 6.5 and no deviation from Michaelis kinetics for the hydrolysis of both p-nitrophenylphosphate and alpha-naphthylphosphate. Heat inactivation at 60 degrees and at pH6.0 showed half-lives of 14min (k=0.033min(-1)) and 10min (k=0.069min(-1)), respectively, for the purified acid phosphatases I and II secreted by biA1 strain and half-lives of 0.8min (k=0.92min(-1)) and 0.6min (k=0.95min(-1)), respectively, for the purified forms I and II secreted by the biA1 pacA1 strain. The neutral sugar content of purified acid phosphatases I and II secreted by strain biA1 was 48% and 37% (w/w), respectively, whereas the content of forms I and II secreted by strain biA1 pacA1 was 18% and 11%, respectively.

Diversity of endophytic bacterial populations and their interaction with Xylella fastidiosa in citrus plants.

Citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) is caused by Xylella fastidiosa, a phytopathogenic bacterium that can infect all Citrus sinensis cultivars. The endophytic bacterial communities of healthy, resistant, and CVC-affected citrus plants were studied by using cultivation as well as cultivation-independent techniques. The endophytic communities were assessed in surface-disinfected citrus branches by plating and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Dominant isolates were characterized by fatty-acid methyl ester analysis as Bacillus pumilus, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens, Enterobacter cloacae, Methylobacterium spp. (including Methylobacterium extorquens, M. fujisawaense, M. mesophilicum, M. radiotolerans, and M. zatmanii), Nocardia sp., Pantoea agglomerans, and Xanthomonas campestris. We observed a relationship between CVC symptoms and the frequency of isolation of species of Methylobacterium, the genus that we most frequently isolated from symptomatic plants. In contrast, we isolated C. flaccumfaciens significantly more frequently from asymptomatic plants than from those with symptoms of CVC while P. agglomerans was frequently isolated from tangerine (Citrus reticulata) and sweet-orange (C. sinensis) plants, irrespective of whether the plants were symptomatic or asymptomatic or showed symptoms of CVC. DGGE analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments amplified from total plant DNA resulted in several bands that matched those from the bacterial isolates, indicating that DGGE profiles can be used to detect some endophytic bacteria of citrus plants. However, some bands had no match with any isolate, suggesting the occurrence of other, nonculturable or as yet uncultured, endophytic bacteria. A specific band with a high G+C ratio was observed only in asymptomatic plants. The higher frequency of C. flaccumfaciens in asymptomatic plants suggests a role for this organism in the resistance of plants to CVC.