Ensifer meliloti bv. lancerottense establishes nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with Lotus endemic to the Canary Islands and shows distinctive symbiotic genotypes and host range

Eleven strains were isolated from root nodules of Lotus endemic to the Canary Islands and they belonged to the genus Ensifer, a genus never previously described as a symbiont of Lotus. According to their 16S rRNA and atpD gene sequences, two isolates represented minority genotypes that could belong to previously undescribed Ensifer species, but most of the isolates were classified within the species Ensifer meliloti. These isolates nodulated Lotus lancerottensis, Lotus corniculatus and Lotus japonicus, whereas Lotus tenuis and Lotus uliginosus were more restrictive hosts. However, effective nitrogen fixation only occurred with the endemic L. lancerottensis. The E. meliloti strains did not nodulate Medicago sativa, Medicago laciniata Glycine max or Glycine soja, but induced non-fixing nodules on Phaseolus vulgaris roots. nodC and nifH symbiotic gene phylogenies showed that the E. meliloti symbionts of Lotus markedly diverged from strains of Mesorhizobium loti, the usual symbionts of Lotus, as well as from the three biovars (bv. meliloti, bv. medicaginis, and bv. mediterranense) so far described within E. meliloti. Indeed, the nodC and nifH genes from the E. meliloti isolates from Lotus represented unique symbiotic genotypes. According to their symbiotic gene sequences and host range, the Lotus symbionts would represent a new biovar of E. meliloti for which bv. lancerottense is proposed.     

粤、闽、贵烟草青枯病菌分离株及其致病力

【目的】从粤、闽、贵3地烟草青枯病株中分离青枯病菌,测定其致病力并探讨判断致病力的方法。【方法】采用氯化三苯基四氮唑(简称TTC)培养基和蛋白质电泳相结合对青枯病菌致病力进行测定,并分析菌株生化型。【结果】已分离出烟草青枯病菌59株,依据致病力进行划分,无致病力菌株5株,有致病力菌株54株。不同致病力菌株蛋白电泳特定条带存在差异。粤、闽、贵3地烟草青枯病菌有致病力菌株均占主导地位,广东有致病力菌株比例略大,福建次之,贵州最小。按生化型划分,59株青枯病菌中1株属于生化型Ⅳ外,其他58株属于生化型Ⅲ或其亚型生化型Ⅲ-1。【结论】烟草青枯病菌致病力存在差异,SDS-PAGE蛋白指纹中的特定条带可作为判定青枯病菌有无致病力的依据。     

Salt-tolerant rhizobia isolated from a Tunisian oasis that are highly effective for symbiotic N2-fixation with Phaseolus vulgaris constitute a novel biovar (bv. mediterranense) of Sinorhizobium meliloti

Nodulation of common bean was explored in six oases in the south of Tunisia. Nineteen isolates were characterized by PCR–RFLP of 16S rDNA. Three species of rhizobia were identified, Rhizobium etli, Rhizobium gallicum and Sinorhizobium meliloti. The diversity of the symbiotic genes was then assessed by PCR–RFLP of nodC and nifH genes. The majority of the symbiotic genotypes were conserved between oases and other soils of the north of the country. Sinorhizobia isolated from bean were then compared with isolates from Medicago truncatula plants grown in the oases soils. All the nodC types except for nodC type p that was specific to common bean isolates were shared by both hosts. The four isolates with nodC type p induced N₂-fixing effective nodules on common bean but did not nodulate M. truncatula and Medicago sativa. The phylogenetic analysis of nifH and nodC genes showed that these isolates carry symbiotic genes different from those previously characterized among Medicago and bean symbionts, but closely related to those of S. fredii Spanish and Tunisian isolates effective in symbiosis with common bean but unable to nodulate soybean. The creation of a novel biovar shared by S. meliloti and S. fredii, bv. mediterranense, was proposed.     

Rapid and specific identification of four Agrobacterium species and biovars using multiplex PCR

On the basis of 23S rRNA gene sequences, 1 universal forward and 4 taxon (species/biovar)-specific reverse primers were designed for multiplex PCR to aid in identification and differentiation of Agrobacterium rubi, Agrobacterium vitis and Agrobacterium biovars 1 and 2. In reactions with DNA of 119 bacterial strains belonging to: Agrobacterium, Allorhizobium, Mesorhizobium, Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium and Phyllobacterium, as well as phytopathogenic bacteria representing various genera, the primers developed for identification of A. vitis, A. rubi or Agrobacterium biovar 1 amplified only DNA of strains belonging to these taxa, producing fragments of the expected sizes: 478, 1006 and 184bp, respectively. However, in the case of the primer developed for identification of Agrobacterium biovar 2, the characteristic 1066bp PCR product was obtained not only with DNA of this biovar, but also with DNA of 3 atypical biovar 1 strains and some rhizobial strains. Differentiation between Agrobacterium biovar 2 and the other strains was possible using the restriction analysis of this product with endonuclease Alw26I. The method developed is an excellent tool for rapid classification of these 4 taxa of Agrobacterium.     

解脲脲原体生物群聚合酶链反应-毛细管电泳检测方法的建立及应用

目的 建立一种检测解脲脲原体生物群1、2的聚合酶链反应-毛细管电泳(PCR-CE)方法,研究解脲脲原体生物群与男性非淋菌性尿道炎(NGU)的关系。方法 合成解脲脲原体生物群1、2的通用引物,进行PCR,然后使用CE检测解脲脲原体生物群1、2的扩增产物。对该方法进行敏感性、特异性的评价。使用该方法检测不同男性人群尿样中解脲脲原体2个生物群。结果 PCR-CE法的敏感性为10拷贝/50μl。该方法仅特异扩增解脲脲原体生物群1、2。解脲脲原体生物群2在NGU组、非沙眼衣原体引起的NGU(NCNGU)组中的检出率高于对照组(P<0.05),解脲脲原体生物群1在NGU及NCNGU组中的检出率和对照组无差异(P>0.05)。结论 建立了一种敏感性高、特异性强、分辨率高的检测解脲脲原体2个生物群的PCR-CE方法。解脲脲原体生物群2与男性NGU有一定的关系。解脲脲原体生物群1不能引起男性NGU。     

健康妇女下生殖道解脲脲原体及其分群分型研究

目的了解健康妇女下生殖道Uu携带情况和定量值,揭示正常携带状态下Uu的分群分型情况。方法对2005年4月至8月在中山大学附属第二医院体检中心进行体检的健康妇女1018例,取宫颈分泌物进行Uu FQ-PCR检测,Uu阳性标本再用RDB法进行Uu分群分型。结果1018例中Uu阳性371例(阳性率36.4%),其中Uu FQ-PCR<1×106copy/ml且Uu呈单独阳性289例(77.9%)。371例Uu阳性标本,可以检测出血清型的共337例,未检出34例,总检出率为90.8%。parvum群278例(82.5%),urealyticum群30例(8.9%),两群混合阳性29例(8.6%);parvum群中,血清1型单型别阳性50例(18.0%),血清3型单型别阳性81例(29.1%),血清6型单型别阳性111例(39.9%),血清14型单型别阳性4例(1.4%),多型别阳性32例(11.5%)。结论Uu在健康妇女下生殖道中存在无症状的携带状态。在健康妇女中,Uu主要表现为Uu定量<1×106copy/ml而且Uu呈单独阳性。健康妇女中Uu以parvum群占优势,并且以parvum群中的1、3、6型的单型别为主,提示parvum群,尤其是其中的1、3、6单型别是正常人群携带的可能性较大。     

溶脲脲原体及其两个生物群与非淋菌性尿道炎相关性的研究

目的 阐明溶脲脲原体及其2个生物群与非淋菌性尿道炎的关系。方法 使用通用引物-PCR-毛细管电泳法对淋菌性尿道炎组,非淋菌性尿道炎组和对照组中的溶脲脲原体的2个生物群进行检测。结果 溶脲脲原体生物群2在非淋菌性尿道炎中的检出率高于对照组（P〈0．05）,溶脲脲原体生物群1在淋菌性尿道炎中的检出率低于对照组（P〈0．05）,而在非淋菌性尿道炎和对照组中,溶脲脲原体生物群1的检出率差异无显著性（P〉0．05）。结论 溶脲脲原体生物群2是和非淋菌性尿道炎有一定关系的,溶脲脲原体生物群2可能才是引起非淋尊性尿道炎的病原体之一,而生物群1不引起非淋菌性尿道炎,淋球菌的增殖有可能抑制尿道中的溶脲脲原体生物群1的生长。     

Characterization of Two Novel Biovar of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium tumefaciens</Emphasis> Isolated from Root Nodules of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicia faba</Emphasis>

A total of eight strains of bacteria were isolated from the root nodule of Vicia faba on the selective media of Rhizobium. Two of these strains produced phenotypically distinct mucoid colonies (one slow growing and the other fast growing) and were examined using a polyphasic approach for taxonomic identification. The two strains (MTCC 7405 and MTCC 7406) turned out to be new strains of biovar 1 Agrobacterium rather than Rhizobium, as they showed growth on alkaline medium as well as on 2% NaCl and neither catabolized lactose as the carbon source nor oxidized Tween-80. The distinctness between the two strains was marked with respect to their growth on dextrose and the production of lysine dihydrolase, ornithine decarboxylase and DNA G + C content. 16S rDNA sequencing and their comparison with the 16S rDNA sequences of previously described agrobacteria as well as rhizobia strains confirmed the novelty of the two strains. Both of the strains clustered with strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in the 16S rDNA-based phylogenetic tree. The phenotypic and biochemical properties of the two strains differed from those of the recognized biovar of A. tumefaciens. It is proposed that the strains MTCC 7405 and MTCC 7406 be classified as novel biovar of the species A. tumefaciens (Type strains MTCC 7405 = DQ383275 and MTCC 7406 = DQ383276).

Detection,identification and differentiation of Pectobacterium and Dickeya species causing potato blackleg and tuber soft rot: a review

The soft rot Enterobacteriaceae (SRE) Pectobacterium and Dickeya species (formerly classified as pectinolytic Erwinia spp.) cause important diseases on potato and other arable and horticultural crops. They may affect the growing potato plant causing blackleg and are responsible for tuber soft rot in storage thereby reducing yield and quality. Efficient and cost‐effective detection and identification methods are essential to investigate the ecology and pathogenesis of the SRE as well as in seed certification programmes. The aim of this review was to collect all existing information on methods available for SRE detection. The review reports on the sampling and preparation of plant material for testing and on over thirty methods to detect, identify and differentiate the soft rot and blackleg causing bacteria to species and subspecies level. These include methods based on biochemical characters, serology, molecular techniques which rely on DNA sequence amplification as well as several less‐investigated ones.