SHARPSHOOTER ASSOCIATED BACTERIA THAT MAY INHIBIT PIERCES DISEASE

• Author(s): Peloquin, John;
• Abstract: Xylella fastidiosa is the etiological agent of Pierces disease, an important disease of grapes in the United States. This disease limits viticulture in Florida and the rest of the southeastern US. It was observed in the Temecula Valley of California in 1997. Though this disease had been known in southern California (California Vine Disease, Anaheim Disease) since the 1880s, it had not been reported before in the Temecula Valley wine grape area. The appearance of Pierces disease in Temecula coincided with increased populations of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca coagulata. Because of the mobility and vector capacity of this insect, Pierces disease has become a cause for great concern to wine industry in California. We plan to culture, identify, then select or genetically transform insect-associated bacteria, especially gut bacteria, from glassy-winged sharpshooter to produce substances that inhibit or kill X. fastidiosa. We also intend to use bacterial-plasmids derived from gram-negative bacteria and the novel himar transposon/transposases-mediated system derived from the mariner insect transposon.
• Publication Date: Dec 2001
• Journal: 2001 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium