THE XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA CELL SURFACE

• Author(s): Igo, Michele; Kirkpatrick, Bruce; Walker, Andrew;
• Abstract: The Gram-negative bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is the causative agent of Pierces disease of grapevines. Many of the strategies proposed to control the spread of this bacterium are dependent on the ability of a particular compound to get into the cell by crossing the outer membrane. The goal of our project is to identify the outer membrane proteins of X. fastidiosa and to examine how different physiological and environmental signals influence the protein composition of the outer membrane. Our strategy has been to isolate the outer membrane fraction and to analyze the proteins in this fraction using one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Comparisons of the outer membrane protein profiles for cells grown under different environmental and physiological conditions will increase our understanding of the X. fastidiosa cell surface as well as provide important information concerning the role of the outer membrane proteins of X. fastidiosa in the development of Pierces disease.
• Publication Date: Aug 2003
• Journal: 2003 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium