The pilA gene of Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri is required for infection by the filamentous phage cf

 Host factors that are important for infection of Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri by the filamentous bacteriophage cf were investigated by transposon mutagenesis with Tn5tac1. A mutant, XT501, that was resistant to cf infection was recovered, showing that the gene inactivated by the transposon is required for infection by the phage but not for cf replication or assembly. A 1.7-kb SacI-ApaI DNA fragment from XT501 containing the bacterial DNA flanking one end of the transposon was cloned and shown to be required for cf infection. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 1.7-kb fragment reveals the presence of an ORF that encodes a protein of 146 amino acids. This protein shows 42% identity to the type 4 prepilin encoded by the pilA genes of other bacteria. The pilA gene of X. campestris pv. citri is thus essential for infection by the bacteriophage cf. Received: 30 November 1998 / Accepted: 21 April 1999