PARATRANSGENESIS TO CONTROL PIERCE'S DISEASE: BIOLOGY OF ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIA IN GRAPE PLANTS AND BIOASSAY OF REAGENTS TO DISRUPT PIERCES DISEASE

• Author(s): Bextine, Blake; Miller, Thomas; Cooksey, Donald; Lampe, David; Lauzon, Carol; Richards, Frank;
• Abstract: Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), which causes Pierces disease (PD) in grapevines, is transmitted by the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS). Symbiotic control employs symbiotic bacteria to deliver anti-pathogen compounds to disrupt transmission of the pathogen to new host plants. Alcaligenes xylosoxidans denitrificans (Axd) was identified as a potential agent for paratransgenesis because it inhabits the foregut of GWSS and the xylem of plants, as does Xf. In this report, we describe the relationship between Axd (the symbiont), Xf (the plant pathogen), GWSS (the insect vector), and host plants to develop a delivery strategy for symbiotic control. Additionally, disruption of Xf-transmission by GWSS was demonstrated using two reagents, a single chained antibody fragment and an antibiotic peptide.
• Publication Date: Dec 2004
• Journal: 2004 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium