Pseudogenes and host specialization in the emergent bacterial plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa is a highly destructive plant pathogen that infects hundreds of landscape and agriculturally important plant species mainly in Europe and the Americas. Nevertheless, the host range of specific genotypes and underlying mechanisms of host specificity remain unclear. These are import...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inApplied and environmental microbiology Vol. 91; no. 5; p. e0207024
Main Authors Kaur, Navdeep, Potnis, Neha, De La Fuente, Leonardo
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Society for Microbiology 21.05.2025
Subjects
Bacteriology
Fruits
Gene sequencing
Genetic screening
Genome, Bacterial
Genomes
Genomic analysis
Host range
Host specificity
Host Specificity - genetics
Hypotheses
Pathogenicity
Pathogens
Plant bacterial diseases
Plant Diseases - microbiology
Plant Microbiology
Pseudogenes
Strains (organisms)
Xylella - genetics
Xylella - pathogenicity
Xylella - physiology
Xylella fastidiosa
Xylem
host specialist
weeds
intergenic
host range
Pseudofinder
host generalists
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Summary:Xylella fastidiosa is a highly destructive plant pathogen that infects hundreds of landscape and agriculturally important plant species mainly in Europe and the Americas. Nevertheless, the host range of specific genotypes and underlying mechanisms of host specificity remain unclear. These are important aspects to determine the potential risk of infection in specific areas depending on the genetic makeup of the pathogen population and hosts present. This study offers valuable insights into the role of pseudogenization in the genomes of different X. fastidiosa strains, linking it to host specialization. Despite the limited information available for the host range of different strains of this pathogen, this research proposes a relationship between the abundance of pseudogenes and host specificity. These findings are essential for predicting potential host shifts by this pathogen, aiding in the development of strategies to prevent its spread. Additionally, the identification of candidate genes putatively important for symptom development in blueberries offers targets for prevention and control efforts.
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The authors declare no conflict of interest.
ISSN:0099-2240
1098-5336
1098-5336
DOI:10.1128/aem.02070-24