Insect-borne plant pathogenic bacteria: getting a ride goes beyond physical contact.

Plant pathogens have evolved numerous strategies that enable their movement from plant to plant. Phytopathogens use a great variety of insect species for transmission to plants, and insect transmission has evolved multiple times independently, particularly for phloem-inhabiting bacteria. Recent studies have advanced our understanding about the mechanisms of physical association between plant pathogenic bacteria and insect vectors. Furthermore, recent evidence shows that the transmission of plant pathogens goes beyond a physical association with the insect, and involves active modulation of plant processes by the bacteria to promote insect herbivore attraction, colonization and pathogen transmission.

Complete Genome Sequence of "Candidatus Sulcia muelleri" ML, an Obligate Nutritional Symbiont of Maize Leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis).

"Candidatus Sulcia muelleri" is a symbiont of sap-feeding insects in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha. The strain "Ca. Sulcia muelleri" ML is associated with the maize leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis), collected in Brazil, which is a disease vector that affects corn production. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of this bacterium.

Prevalência do Streptococcus agalactiae na flora vaginal de gestantes do último trimestre / Prevalence of streptococcus agalactiae in vaginal flora of pregnant women of the last trimester

Os autores estudaram a incidência do Streptococcus agalactiae na flora vaginal de gestantes no terceiro trimestre. Foram estudadas 35 pacientes, com idade variando de 18 a 32 anos. Em 17 por cento dos casos verificou-se colonizaçao pelo Streptococcus agalactiae, cifra concordante com a literatura internacional