UNDERSTANDING XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA COLONIZATION AND COMMUNICATION IN XYLEM LUMINA TO PIERCES DISEASE

• Author(s): Burr, Harvey; Meng, Yizhi; Turner, James;
• Abstract: Microfluidic chambers were fabricated using photolithographic and soft-molding methods. The chambers were made to mimic the physical parameters of grape xylem vessels in which Xylella cells were studied temporally and spatially for colonization and biofilm development. Xylella bacteria were observed to migrate by twitching motility against a rapid flowing medium in microfludic chambers. Twitching motility is important in explaining how this pathogen is able to migrate against the flow of the plants transpiration stream to colonize previously non-invaded xylem vessel regions. Mutant strains with insertions in pilB, pilQ, and fimA genes established the roles of short pili, and longer type IV pili in biofilm development and long distance migration of the bacterium.
• Publication Date: Dec 2004
• Journal: 2004 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium