Complete Genome Sequences of Four Strains of  Erwinia tracheiphila : A Resource for Studying a Bacterial Plant Pathogen with a Highly Complex Genome

• Published in: Molecular plant-microbe interactions Vol. 35; no. 6; pp. 500 - 504
• Main Authors: LaSarre, Breah, Olawole, Olakunle I, Paulsen, Ashley A, Halverson, Larry J, Gleason, Mark L, Beattie, Gwyn A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Phytopathological Society 01.06.2022; The American Phytopathological Society
• Subjects: bacterial wilt; complete genome; cucurbit wilt; Erwinia; Erwinia tracheiphila; Gene sequencing; genome assembly; Genomes; Insects; insertion sequence; Pathogens; Phylogeny; Plant bacterial diseases; Strains (organisms); Virulence; Wilt; Xylem; xylem pathogen; bacterial wilt; insertion sequence; prophage; Erwinia tracheiphila; Nanopore; complete genome; PacBio; cucurbit wilt; genome assembly
• ISSN: 0894-0282; 1943-7706
• DOI: 10.1094/MPMI-01-22-0008-A

LaSarre et al discuss their study which produced closed genome sequences of Erwinia tracheiphila strains BHKY, BuffGH, MDCuke, and SCR3, which belong to two phylogenetic clades that differ in host-specific virulence. Erwinia tracheiphila, the causative agent of bacterial wilt of cucurbits, has a highly complex genome harboring an abundance of repetitive elements and prophage. Erwinia tracheiphila, a gram-negative, xylem-limited, obligately insect-vectored plant pathogen, causes wilt of cucurbits belonging to the genera Cucurbita (squash and pumpkin) and Cucumis (melon and cucumber). The four E. tracheiphila strains sequenced in this study were isolated from symptomatic plants in 2009 or 2010 at various locations in the US.