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Recurrent outbreaks of root mat in cucumber and tomato are associated with a monomorphic, cucumopine, Ri-plasmid harboured by various Alphaproteobacteria

  1. Simon A. Weller1,
  2. David E. Stead1,
  3. J. Peter W. Young2

Article first published online: 24 MAR 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00214.x

Issue

FEMS Microbiology Letters

FEMS Microbiology Letters

Volume 258, Issue 1, pages 136–143, May 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Weller, S. A., Stead, D. E. and Young, J. P. W. (2006), Recurrent outbreaks of root mat in cucumber and tomato are associated with a monomorphic, cucumopine, Ri-plasmid harboured by various Alphaproteobacteria. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 258: 136–143. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00214.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Central Science Laboratory, DEFRA, Sand Hutton, York, UK

  2. 2

    Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK

*Correspondence: Simon A. Weller, Central Science Laboratory, DEFRA, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK. Tel: +44 1904 462000 ext. 3239; fax: +44 1904 462250; e-mail: s.weller@csl.gov.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 24 MAR 2006
  2. Article first published online: 24 MAR 2006
  3. Received 23 December 2005; revised 9 February 2006; accepted 20 February 2006.First published online 24 March 2006.

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Keywords:

  • Ti plasmid;
  • Alphaproteobacteria;
  • mikimopine;
  • conjugation;
  • hairy root

Abstract

Recurrent outbreaks of root mat have occurred in the UK and France in cucumber and tomato. Root mat is caused by bacterial strains harbouring a Ri-plasmid (pRi). Fifteen root mat-associated (RMA) cucumopine pRi were analysed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and Southern blotting. These pRi were harboured by Agrobacterium biovar 1 strains isolated during a 1970s outbreak of root mat in UK soil grown cucumber, and also by Agrobacterium biovar 1, Ochrobactrum, Rhizobium and Sinorhizobium isolated during outbreaks of root mat in cucumber and tomato grown hydroponically in the UK and France since 1993. PCR-RFLP analysis of the T-DNA and virD2 regions showed sequence homology between all cucumopine pRi, indicating that these pRi are monomorphic, and thus this pRi remained in the UK without inducing symptoms for some 15 years between outbreaks in the 1970s and 1990s. Cucumopine pRi were also shown to possess the virE2 substitute GALLS gene by Southern blotting. Two other pRi, harboured by Agrobacterium isolated from a recent root mat outbreak in one tomato crop, were also shown to possess the GALLS gene but were shown not to be cucumopine pRi by PCR-RFLP.

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