• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.91-94
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• 2009

An unreported disease of garlic was observed in commercial fields in Jiangsu province, China. The symptoms started as water soaked lesions at the base of the leaves. Later, water-soaked areas developed on stems and spread to the internal tissues, followed by yellowing and necrosis along leaf edges and soft rot of the stems. The causal organism isolated from symptomatic plants was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens based on its biochemical and physiological characteristics and confirmed by the cellular fatty acid composition and Biolog data as well as 168 rRNA gene sequence analysis. The bacterial isolates caused similar symptoms when inoculated onto garlic plants. In addition, leek and shallot were susceptible to the P. fluorescens pathogen. However, the P. fluorescens pathogen failed to cause any symptoms when it was inoculated onto 15 other plants. This is the first report of a bacterial disease of garlic caused by P. fluorescens in China.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.148-162
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• 2017

As a step towards discovering novel pathogenesis-related proteins, we performed a genome scale computational identification and characterization of secreted and transmembrane (TM) proteins, which are mainly responsible for bacteria-host interactions and interactions with other bacteria, in the genomes of six representative Burkholderia species. The species comprised plant pathogens (B. glumae BGR1, B. gladioli BSR3), human pathogens (B. pseudomallei K96243, B. cepacia LO6), and plant-growth promoting endophytes (Burkholderia sp. KJ006, B. phytofirmans PsJN). The proportions of putative classically secreted proteins (CSPs) and TM proteins among the species were relatively high, up to approximately 20%. Lower proportions of putative type 3 non-classically secreted proteins (T3NCSPs) (~10%) and unclassified non-classically secreted proteins (NCSPs) (~5%) were observed. The numbers of TM proteins among the three clusters (plant pathogens, human pathogens, and endophytes) were different, while the distribution of these proteins according to the number of TM domains was conserved in which TM proteins possessing 1, 2, 4, or 12 TM domains were the dominant groups in all species. In addition, we observed conservation in the protein size distribution of the secreted protein groups among the species. There were species-specific differences in the functional characteristics of these proteins in the various groups of CSPs, T3NCSPs, and unclassified NCSPs. Furthermore, we assigned the complete sets of the conserved and unique NCSP candidates of the collected Burkholderia species using sequence similarity searching. This study could provide new insights into the relationship among plant-pathogenic, humanpathogenic, and endophytic bacteria.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2010

The effect of Acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) and Rahnella aquatilis Ra39 against apple fire blight disease caused by Erwinia amylovora were tested as a possible alternative to streptomycin. In vitro studies, no inhibition effect against the pathogen was found when ASM was tested. Under greenhouse conditions, application of R. aquatilis Ra39 with the highly susceptible M26 rootstock resulted in a marked disease suppression. Application of ASM and strain Ra39 caused a high decrease of the disease, 82% and 58% respectively; this was correlated with a reduction of the growth of the pathogen within host plants up to 64% and 49.5% respectively. Further studies in the field under artificial infection condition during full bloom revealed that application of ASM and R. aquatilis Ra39 with Gala variety resulted in a control effect up to 21 and 29% respectively. In physiological studies, enhanced activities of PR-proteins (chitinase and $\beta$-1, 3-glucanase) were detected, which are well known as biochemical markers for systemic acquired resistance. Application of ASM to apple shoots caused the highest chitinase activity followed by strain Ra39. The enzyme activity was increased after 2, 4 and 6 days from application. In addition, ASM-treatment caused the higher $\beta$-1, 3-glucanase activity than strain Ra39. Maximum enzyme activity was recorded after 6 days from application and then decreased after 8 and 10 days from application.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.429-432
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• 2009

An unreported disease of apricot was observed in orchards in Zhejiang province, China. Symptoms started as water soaked lesions on the fruit surface. Later, water-soaked areas developed and spread to the entire fruit, resulting in soft rot of the whole fruit. The causal organism isolated from symptomatic fruits was identified as Burkholderia cepacia based on its biochemical and physiological characteristics and confirmed by the cellular fatty acid composition and Biolog data as well as 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The bacterial isolates caused similar symptoms when inoculated onto fruits of apricot. In addition, European plum, Japanese plum, nectarine and kiwifruit were susceptible to the B. cepacia pathogen. However, the B. cepacia pathogen failed to cause any visible symptoms when it was inoculated onto 16 other fruits. This is the first report of a bacterial disease of apricot caused by B. cepacia in China.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.217-224
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• 2014

Chicken are considered as the most important source of human infection by Campylobacter jejuni, which primarily arises from contaminated poultry meats. However, the genes expressed in vivo of the interaction between chicken and C. jejuni have not been screened. In this regard, in vivo-induced antigen technology (IVIAT) was applied to identify expressed genes in vivo during interaction between chicken and C. jejuni, a prevalent foodborne pathogen worldwide. Chicken sera were obtained by inoculating C. jejuni NCTC 11168 into Leghorn chickens through oral and intramuscular administration. Pooled chicken sera, adsorbed against in vitro-grown cultures of C. jejuni, were used to screen the inducible expression library of genomic proteins from sequenced C. jejuni NCTC 11168. Finally, 28 unique genes expressed in vivo were successfully identified after secondary and tertiary screenings with IVIAT. The genes were implicated in metabolism, molecular biosynthesis, genetic information processing, transport, regulation and other processes, in addition to Cj0092, with unknown function. Several potential virulence-associated genes were found to be expressed in vivo, including chuA, flgS, cheA, rplA, and Cj0190c. We selected four genes with different functions to compare their expression levels in vivo and in vitro using real-time RT-PCR. The results indicated that these selected genes were significantly upregulated in vivo but not in vitro. In short, the expressed genes in vivo may act as potential virulence-associated genes, the protein encoded by which may be meaningful vaccine candidate antigens for campylobacteriosis. IVIAT provides an important and efficient strategy for understanding the interaction mechanisms between Campylobacter and hosts.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.498-502
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• 2018

Molecular imaging is a powerful method for tracking various infectious disease-causing pathogens in host organisms. Currently, a dual molecular imaging method that can provide temporal and spatial information on infected hosts at the organism, organ, tissue, and cellular levels simultaneously has not been reported for Burkholderia pseudomallei, a high-risk pathogen that causes melioidosis. In this study, we have established an experimental method that provides spatiotemporal information on infected hosts using luminescent and fluorescent dual-labeled B. pseudomallei. Using this method, we visualized B. pseudomallei infection at the organism, organ, and tissue levels in a BALB/c mouse model by detecting its luminescence and fluorescence. The infection of B. pseudomallei at the cellular level was also visualized by its emitted fluorescence in infected macrophage cells. This method could be an extremely useful and applicable tool to study the pathogenesis of B. pseudomallei-related infectious diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.1010-1022
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• 2017

Hybrid histidine kinase is part of a two-component system that is required for various stress responses and pathogenesis of pathogenic fungi. The Tco1 gene in human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans encodes a hybrid histidine kinase and is important for pathogenesis. In this study, we identified a Tco1 homolog, UmTco1, in the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis by bioinformatics analysis. To explore the role of UmTco1 in the survival of U. maydis under environmental stresses and its pathogenesis, ${\Delta}umtco1$ mutants were constructed by allelic exchange. The growth of ${\Delta}umtco1$ mutants was significantly impaired when they were cultured under hyperosmotic stress. The ${\Delta}umtco1$ mutants exhibited increased resistance to antifungal agent fludioxonil. In particular, the ${\Delta}umtco1$ mutants were unable to produce cytokinesis or conjugation tubes, and to develop fuzzy filaments, resulting in impaired mating between compatible strains. The expression levels of Prf1, Pra1, and Mfa1, which are involved in the pheromone pathway, were significantly decreased in the ${\Delta}umtco1$ mutants. In inoculation tests to the host plant, the ${\Delta}umtco1$ mutants showed significantly reduced ability in the production of anthocyanin pigments and tumor development on maize leaves. Overall, the combined results indicated that UmTco1 plays important roles in the survival under hyperosmotic stress, and contributes to cytokinesis, sexual development, and virulence of U. maydis by regulating the expression of the genes involved in the pheromone pathway.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.112-112
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• 2017

Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most serious diseases that affect the quantity and quality of rice production. The use of resistant rice varieties would be the most effective way to control the rice blast. However R gene incorporation into the rice variety takes time and pathogen could overcome the R gene effects after for a while. For monitoring the rice blast resistance gene distribution in Korean varieties, the four major blast resistance genes against M. oryzae were screened in a number of Korean rice varieties using molecular markers. Of the 120 rice varieties tested, 40 were found to contain the Pi-5 gene, 25 for the Pi-9 gene, 79 for Pi-b and 40 for the Pi-ta gene. None of these rice varieties includes tested 4 R genes. 3 R genes combination, Pi-5/Pi-9/Pi-b, Pi-5, Pi-9.Pi-ta, or Pi-9/Pi-b/Pi-ta were found in 12 varieties, the rice blast disease severity were showed as resistant in the rice verities containing Pi-9/Pi-b/Pi-ta R genes combination, respectively. Also pathogenic diversity of M. oryzae isolates collected in the rice field from 2004 to 2015 in rice field in Korea were analyzed using rice blast monogenic lines, each harboring a single blast resistance gene. Compatibility of blast isolates against rice blast monogenic lines carrying the resistance genes Pi5, Pi9, Pib, and Piz showed dynamic changes by year. It indicates that pathogen has high evolutionary potential adapted host resistances to increase fitness and would lead to rice blast resistance bred into the cultivar becoming ineffective eventually.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2007

Infection structures were observed using a fluorescence microscope at the penetration sites on the leaves of potato plants pre-inoculated with the bacterial strains Pseudomonas putida TRL2-3, Micrococcus luteus TRK2-2, and Flexibacteraceae bacterium MRL412, which mediated an induced systemic resistance on potato plants against late blight disease caused by Phytophthora infestans. In order to compare the infection structures on the leaves expressing systemic acquired resistance, the leaves of potato plants pre-treated with DL-3-amino butyric acid (BABA) were also observed after challenge inoculation with the same pathogen. The infection structures were investigated. The total number of germination and appressorium formation of P. infestans were counted. Furthermore, the frequencies of fluorescent epidermal cells at the penetration sites, which indicate a defense response of plant cell, were estimated. There were no differences on the germination rates of the fungal cysts among the untreated control, BABA pre-treated, and bacterial strains pre-inoculated plants. However, appressorium formation was slightly decreased on the leaves of BABA pre-treated plants compared to those of untreated as well as bacterial strains pre-inoculated plants. Furthermore, the frequencies of fluorescent cells of BABA pre-treated and bacterial strains pre-inoculated were higher than that of untreated plants, indicating an active defense reaction of the host cells against the fungal attack. On the other hand, the pre-treatment with BABA caused a stronger fluorescent of epidermal cells at the penetration sites compared to the pre-inoculation with the bacterial strains. Interestingly, the frequency of fluorescent cells by BABA, however, was lower than that by the bacterial strains. Based on the results it is suggested that the infection structures showing resistance reaction on the leaves of potato plants were different between by pre-inoculation with bacterial strains and by pre-treatment with BABA against the late blight pathogen.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.168-173
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• 2002

Gastrointestinal infections kill over two million people each year, and pathogen contamination of livestock causes many cases of food poisoning. Two candidate intestinal probiotic strains, L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. fermentum RC-14 were found to inhibit the growth of Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, L. innocua, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacteroides fragilis. In a series of mouse experiments, L. rhamosus GR-1 and L rhamnosus GG protected against S. typhimurium infection and translocation to the liver and spleen, reduced mortality and induced intestinal phagocytic and immunoglobulin responses. In a second series of experiments, the combination of L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. fermentum RC-14 was superior to L. rhamnosus GG and placebo in protecting the mice from the lethal effect of salmonella. In summary, the use of combinations of probiotic lactobacilli as dietary supplements or foods could be considered for people at high risk of salmonella intestinal infection. Given the post-infection complications that can arise, such natural methods warrant further exploration especially given the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance and the lack of alternative measures available to many developing countries.