GENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF ALCALIGENES XYLOSOXIDANS SUBSP. DENITRIFICANS (AXD HC01) AND FOUR RELATED STRAINS

• Author(s): Miller, Thomas; Parker, Jennifer; Lampe, David; Lauzon, Carol;
• Abstract: In symbiont therapy, an insects natural symbionts are genetically modified to prevent the transmission of a pathogen. This strategy is currently under investigation as a way to control the spread of Pierces disease (PD) of grapevine. PD is caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), which is transmitted by the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS; Homalodisca vitripennis). The five GWSS symbionts used in this research were identified through biochemical testing as Alcaligenes xylosoxidans denitrificans (Axd) Hc01, Axd1, Axd2, Axd3, and Axd4. The genetic relatedness of these bacteria, as well as their relationships to other bacterial species was analyzed using two highly conserved prokaryotic genes, the 16S rDNA sequence and the gyrase B sequence. These sequences were used to construct phylogenetic trees using the neighbor-joining method. Analysis of the 16S tree indicated that all of these bacteria were closely related to members of the genus Pseudomonas. The phylogenetic trees that were constructed using the gyrase B gene also supported the conclusion that these bacteria are closely related to members of the genus Pseudomonas. Further testing using the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region one is currently underway.
• Publication Date: Nov 2006
• Journal: 2006 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium