Molecular Genetics of Plant-Microorganism Interactions

Summary

Plant pathogenic bacteria are responsible for the loss of productivity of many crops in the world. Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) is responsible for citrus canker, a disease that causes great economic losses in citrus producing areas. Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Psto) produces bacterial speck on tomatoes. Ralstonia solanacearum (Rso) is a bacterial complex, responsible for multiple diseases in solanaceous plants. The sequencing of the genomes of these bacteria allowed the identification of blue and red-light photoreceptors. The study of these bacterial photoreceptors is proposed through the construction of deletion mutant and over-expression strains of these genes. Bacterial proteomes and protein glycosylation in Rso and Xcc will also be evaluated. Finally, endophytic bacteria will be used as a strategy for the control of these bacterial plant diseases.

Research Lines

1- Role of bacterial photoreceptors in plant-pathogen interaction. Project leader:  Elena G. Orellano.

2- Biocontrol by endophytic bacteria of bacterial diseases in plants. Project leader: Elena G. Orellano.

Selected Publications

  • Light modulates important physiological features of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum during the colonization of tomato plants. Scientific Reports. 15;11(1):14531. Tano* J, Ripa* MB, Tondo ML, Carrau A, Petrocelli S, Rodriguez MV, Ferreira V, Siri MI, Piskulic L, Orellano EG. * 2021 doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-93871-9.
  • Bacterial wilt biocontrol by the endophytic bacteria Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus in Río Grande tomato cultivar. Biological Control 162: 104728 (Pag. 1-18) Srebot MS, Tano J., Carrau A, Ferretti MD, Martínez ML, Orellano EG*, Rodriguez MV*(2021), doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104728.
  • KatE from the bacterial plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum encodes a catalase enzyme involved in bacterial survival to hydrogen peroxide. Front Plant Sci. 11: 1156 2020. Tondo ML, de Pedro-Jové R, Vandecaveye A, Piskulic L, Orellano EG*, Valls M*. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01156.