Navegando por Autor "Ferro, Jesus Aparecido"
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Item Biotechnological potential of plant growth-promoting bacteria from the roots and rhizospheres of endemic plants in ironstone vegetation in southeastern Brazil.(2018) Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Vieira, Izadora Tabuso; Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Fonseca, Natasha Peixoto; Sanchez, Angelica Bianchini; Caicedo Cepeda, Juan Carlos; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Garcia, Camila Carrião Machado; Carmo, Flávio Fonseca do; Kamino, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino; Moreira, Leandro MarcioMicroorganisms associated with plants have a great biotechnological potential, but investigations of these microorganisms associated with native plants in peculiar environments has been incipient. The objective of this study was to analyze the plant growth-promoting bacteria potential of cultivable bacteria associated with rare plants from the ferruginous rocky fields of the Brazilian Iron Quadrangle. The roots and rhizospheres of nine endemic plants species and samples of a root found in a lateritiric duricrust (canga) cave were collected, the culturable bacteria isolated and prospected for distinct biotechnological and ecological potentials. Out of the 148 isolates obtained, 8 (5.4%) showed potential to promote plant growth, whereas 4 (2.7%) isolates acted as biocontrol agents against Xanthomonas citri pathotype A (Xac306), reducing the cancrotic lesions by more than 60% when co-inoculated with this phytopathogen in Citrus sinensis plants. Moreover, other 4 (2.7%) isolates were classified as potential bioremediation agents, being able to withstand high concentrations of arsenite (5 mM As3+) and arsenate (800 mM As5+), by removing up to 35% and 15% of this metalloid in solution, respectively. These same four isolates had a positive influence on the growth of both the roots and the aerial parts when inoculated with tomato seeds in the soil contaminated with arsenic. This is the first time that an investigation highlights the potentialities of bacteria associated with rare plants of ferruginous rocky fields as a reservoir of microbiota of biotechnological and ecological interest, highlighting the importance of conservation of this area that is undergoing intense anthropic activityItem Comparative proteomic analysis reveals that T3SS, Tfp, and xanthan gum are key factors in initial stages of Citrus sinensis infection by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri.(2013) Facincani, Agda Paula; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Soares, Márcia Regina; Ferreira, Cristiano Barbalho; Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Gozzo, Fabio Cesar; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco deThe bacteria Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac) is the causal agent of citrus canker. The disease symptoms are characterized by localized host cell hyperplasia followed by tissue necrosis at the infected area. An arsenal of bacterial pathogenicity- and virulence-related proteins is expressed to ensure a successful infection process. At the post-genomic stage of Xac, we used a proteomic approach to analyze the proteins that are displayed differentially over time when the pathogen attacks the host plant. Protein extracts were prepared from infectious Xac grown in inducing medium (XAM1) for 24 h or from host citrus plants for 3 or 5 days after infection, detached times to evaluate the adaptation and virulence of the pathogen. The protein extracts were proteolyzed, and the peptides derived from tryptic digestion were investigated using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Changes in the protein expression profile were compared with the Xac genome and the proteome recently described under non-infectious conditions. An analysis of the proteome of Xac under infectious conditions revealed proteins directly involved in virulence such as the type III secretion system (T3SS) and effector proteins (T3SS-e), the type IV pilus (Tfp), and xanthan gum biosynthesis. Moreover, four new mutants related to proteins detected in the proteome and with different functions exhibited reduced virulence relative to the wild-type proteins. The results of the proteome analysis of infectious Xac define the processes of adaptation to the host and demonstrate the induction of the virulence factors of Xac involved in plant–pathogen interactions.Item Complete genome sequence and analysis of Alcaligenes faecalis strain Mc250, a new potential plant bioinoculant.(2020) Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Sanchez, Angelica Bianchini; Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Fonseca, Natasha Peixoto; Villa, Morghana Marina; Vieira, Izadora Tabuso; Kamino, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino; Carmo, Flávio Fonseca do; Silva, Aline Maria da; Thomas, Andrew Maltez; Patané, José Salvatore Leister; Ferreira, Fernanda Carla; Freitas, Leandro Grassi de; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Silva, Robson Soares; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Garcia, Camila Carrião Machado; Setubal, João Carlos; Moreira, Leandro MarcioHere we present and analyze the complete genome of Alcaligenes faecalis strain Mc250 (Mc250), a bacterium isolated from the roots of Mimosa calodendron, an endemic plant growing in ferruginous rupestrian grasslands in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The genome has 4,159,911 bp and 3,719 predicted protein-coding genes, in a single chromosome. Comparison of the Mc250 genome with 36 other Alcaligenes faecalis genomes revealed that there is considerable gene content variation among these strains, with the core genome representing only 39% of the protein-coding gene repertoire of Mc250. Mc250 encodes a complete denitrification pathway, a network of pathways associated with phenolic compounds degradation, and genes associated with HCN and siderophores synthesis; we also found a repertoire of genes associated with metal internalization and metabolism, sulfate/sulfonate and cysteine metabolism, oxidative stress and DNA repair. These findings reveal the genomic basis for the adaptation of this bacterium to the harsh environmental conditions from where it was isolated. Gene clusters associated with ectoine, terpene, resorcinol, and emulsan biosynthesis that can confer some competitive advantage were also found. Experimental results showed that Mc250 was able to reduce (~60%) the virulence phenotype of the plant pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri when co-inoculated in Citrus sinensis, and was able to eradicate 98% of juveniles and stabilize the hatching rate of eggs to 4% in two species of agricultural nematodes. These results reveal biotechnological potential for the Mc250 strain and warrant its further investigation as a biocontrol and plant growth-promoting bacterium.Item Detection and identification of Xanthomonas pathotypes associated with citrus diseases using comparative genomics and multiplex PCR.(2019) Fonseca, Natasha Peixoto; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Sanchez, Angelica Bianchini; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Carvalho, Flávia Maria de Souza; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Belasque Junior, José; Setubal, João Carlos; Telles, Guilherme Pimentel; Aguena, Deiviston da Silva; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Moreira, Leandro MarcioBackground. In Citrus cultures, three species of Xanthomonas are known to cause distinct diseases. X. citri subsp. citri patothype A, X. fuscans subsp. aurantifolii pathotypes B and C, and X. alfalfae subsp. citrumelonis, are the causative agents of cancrosis A, B, C, and citrus bacterial spots, respectively. Although these species exhibit different levels of virulence and aggressiveness, only limited alternatives are currently available for proper and early detection of these diseases in the fields. The present study aimed to develop a new molecular diagnostic method based on genomic sequences derived from the four species of Xanthomonas. Results. Using comparative genomics approaches, primers were synthesized for the identification of the four causative agents of citrus diseases. These primers were validated for their specificity to their target DNA by both conventional and multiplex PCR. Upon evaluation, their sensitivity was found to be 0.02 ng/µl in vitro and 1.5 × 104 CFU ml−1 in infected leaves. Additionally, none of the primers were able to generate amplicons in 19 other genomes of Xanthomonas not associated with Citrus and one species of Xylella, the causal agent of citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC). This denotes strong specificity of the primers for the different species of Xanthomonas investigated in this study. Conclusions. We demonstrated that these markers can be used as potential candidates for performing in vivo molecular diagnosis exclusively for citrus-associated Xanthomonas. The bioinformatics pipeline developed in this study to design specific genomic regions is capable of generating specific primers. It is freely available and can be utilized for any other model organism.Item Development and validation of a Xanthomonas axonopodis pv.citri DNA microarray platform (XACarray) generated from the shotgun libraries previously used in the sequencing of this bacterial genome.(2010) Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Laia, Marcelo Luiz de; Souza, Robson Francisco de; Zaini, Paulo Adriano; Silva, Ana C. R. da; Silva, Aline M. da; Ferro, Jesus AparecidoBackground: From shotgun libraries used for the genomic sequencing of the phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (XAC), clones that were representative of the largest possible number of coding sequences (CDSs) were selected to create a DNA microarray platform on glass slides (XACarray). The creation of the XACarray allowed for the establishment of a tool that is capable of providing data for the analysis of global genome expression in this organism. Findings: The inserts from the selected clones were amplified by PCR with the universal oligonucleotide primers M13R and M13F. The obtained products were purified and fixed in duplicate on glass slides specific for use in DNA microarrays. The number of spots on the microarray totaled 6,144 and included 768 positive controls and 624 negative controls per slide. Validation of the platform was performed through hybridization of total DNA probes from XAC labeled with different fluorophores, Cy3 and Cy5. In this validation assay, 86% of all PCR products fixed on the glass slides were confirmed to present a hybridization signal greater than twice the standard deviation of the deviation of the global median signal-to-noise ration. Conclusions: Our validation of the XACArray platform using DNA-DNA hybridization revealed that it can be used to evaluate the expression of 2,365 individual CDSs from all major functional categories, which corresponds to 52.7% of the annotated CDSs of the XAC genome. As a proof of concept, we used this platform in a previously work to verify the absence of genomic regions that could not be detected by sequencing in related strains of Xanthomonas.Item Gene expression analysis identifies hypothetical genes that may be critical during the infection process of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri.(2019) Laia, Marcelo Luiz de; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Gonçalves, Janaína Fernandes; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Rodrigues, Any Caroliny Pinto; Santos, Jéssica Naiara dos; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Ferro, Jesus AparecidoBackground: Gene expression analysis via microarray is widely used in phytobacteria to validate differential gene expression associated with virulence or to compare biological profiles of wild type and mutant strains. Here, we employed DNA microarrays to study the early stages of the infection process (24, 72 and 120 h post-inoculation) of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac) infecting Citrus sinensis to interrogate the expression profiles of hypothetical genes. Results: Under infective conditions, 446 genes were up- and 306 downregulated. Outstanding among genes upregulated during infection were those involved in synthesizing the Type 3 Secretion System and effectors, xanthan gum and quorum-sensing induction, and flagellum synthesis and regulation. Additionally, 161 hypothetical genes were up- and 100 were downregulated, 49 of which are known to have a significant biological role. To understand hypothetical gene co-regulation or -expression, nine expression profiles including 158 genes were identified during the three infection phases. Of these, 47 hypothetical genes were identified as having expression profiles associated with at least one connected to a gene associated with adaptation and virulence. Conclusions: Expression patterns of six differentially expressed genes were validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of this tool in global gene expression analysis in Xac.Item Genomics and walnut hull proteomics of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis 417 for the development of new disease control.(2021) Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Dandekar, Abhaya M.; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Souza, Robson Francisco de; Cruz, Izinara Rosse da; Borges, William de CastroXanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis 417 (Xaj417) is the causal agent of walnut bacterial blight, the most significant above-ground disease of walnuts (Juglans regia L.). Walnut producers have registered losses of up to 40% in local production annually. Disease management uses copper-based pesticides which induce pathogen resistance despite being harmful for the environment. Our aim was to evaluate the genome content of the pathogen, dissect the host-pathogen response to define determinants that regulate the host susceptibility and assess the mutation effect of a conserved secreted protein among plant-associated Xanthomonadaceae. Our study focused on Xaj417 to understand the proteo-genomics attributes to colonize its host. We investigated the genome sequence and proteome of this plant pathogen by performing a comparative analysis with other sequenced Xaj and inoculating walnut fruits with Xaj417. The comparison of 32 Xaj genomes revealed that the adaptive evolution generated by intensive spray application to control bacterial diseases possibly led to selection of resistant bacteria and emergence of pathogenic strains (Chapter I). The results revealed that bacterial virulence and copper resistance emerged by the acquisition of specific sets of pathogenesis-related genes commonly transferred among the members of the Xanthomonas genus on mobile genetic elements. This was evidenced for the reference strain Xaj417, a copper-resistant Californian isolate, that acquired a new copper resistance cassette by HGT associated with a new transposon family in Xanthomonas (TnXaj417). The expansion of mobile genetic elements in the most virulent strains influence the repertoire of virulence effectors and adaptation strategies shaping the evolution of pathogenic strains. On Chapter II, we dissected this pathosystem using tandem mass tag quantitative proteomics. This is the first proteome study of this pathosystem examining the molecular responses during the disease development by comparing the proteomes of infected fruit hulls to healthy tissue. Xaj proteins detected in infected tissues demonstrated its ability to adapt to the host microenvironment, limiting iron availability, coping with copper toxicity, and maintaining energy and intermediary metabolism. Finally, on Chapter III the secreted monofunctional chorismate mutase mutant (XajCM) was created in Xaj417 and showed increased virulence in walnut nuts. The bacterial morphology was characterized and IX changes in the protein profile of the mutant in planta were tested. The proteomic results suggested intense degradation processes, oxidative stress, and general arrest of the biosynthetic metabolism in infected nuts. Overall, this study offers new insights into the emergence of virulence, adaptation, and tolerance to disease management strategies used in orchard ecosystems. It also provides knowledge into molecular mechanisms highlighting potential molecular tools for early detection and disease control strategies.Item Identification of new genes related to virulence of xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri during citrus host interactions.(2017) Ferreira, Cristiano Barbalho; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Brigati, Joice Bissoloti; Lima, Lonjoré Leocádio de; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco deA mutant library of the bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri strain 306 pathotype A (Xac ), the causative agent of most aggressive Asiatic type A citrus canker, was screened regarding altered canker symptoms after inoculations into Citrus sinensis and Citrus limonia host leaves. Twenty-six mutants have shown phenotypic virulence changes and have respectively knocked out gene identified by sequencing. In vivo growth curves were obtained for nine mutants to quantify how the mutations could affect pathogen’s adaptability to growth inside and attack host plant infected tissue. Among identified genes in mutated strains, we could find those that until now had not been reported as being involved in Xac adaptation and/or virulence, such as predicted to encode for xylose repressor-like protein (XACΔxylR), Fe-S oxidoredutase (XACΔaslB), helicase IV (XACΔhelD), ubiquinol cytochrome c oxidoreductase iron-sulfur subunit (XACΔpetA), chromosome partitioning protein (XACΔparB) and cell division protein FtsB (XACΔftsB), in addition to genes predicted to encode for hypothetical proteins. The new genes found in this study as being relevant to adaptation and virulence, improve the understanding of Xac fitness during citrus plant attack and canker symptoms development.Item New genes of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri involved in pathogenesis and adaptation revealed by a transposon-based mutant library.(2009) Laia, Marcelo Luiz de; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Dezajacomo, Juliana; Brigati, Joice Bissoloti; Ferreira, Cristiano Barbalho; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Silva, Ana Cristina Simões e; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco deBackground: Citrus canker is a disease caused by the phytopathogens Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolli and Xanthomonas alfalfae subsp. citrumelonis. The first of the three species, which causes citrus bacterial canker type A, is the most widely spread and severe, attacking all citrus species. In Brazil, this species is the most important, being found in practically all areas where citrus canker has been detected. Like most phytobacterioses, there is no efficient way to control citrus canker. Considering the importance of the disease worldwide, investigation is needed to accurately detect which genes are related to the pathogen-host adaptation process and which are associated with pathogenesis. Results: Through transposon insertion mutagenesis, 10,000 mutants of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri strain 306 (Xcc) were obtained, and 3,300 were inoculated in Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia) leaves. Their ability to cause citrus canker was analyzed every 3 days until 21 days after inoculation; a set of 44 mutants showed altered virulence, with 8 presenting a complete loss of causing citrus canker symptoms. Sequencing of the insertion site in all 44 mutants revealed that 35 different ORFs were hit, since some ORFs were hit in more than one mutant, with mutants for the same ORF presenting the same phenotype. An analysis of these ORFs showed that some encoded genes were previously known as related to pathogenicity in phytobacteria and, more interestingly, revealed new genes never implicated with Xanthomonas pathogenicity before, including hypothetical ORFs. Among the 8 mutants with no canker symptoms are the hrpB4 and hrpX genes, two genes that belong to type III secretion system (TTSS), two hypothetical ORFS and, surprisingly, the htrA gene, a gene reported as involved with the virulence process in animal-pathogenic bacteria but not described as involved in phytobacteria virulence. Nucleic acid hybridization using labeled cDNA probes showed that some of the mutated genes are differentially expressed when the bacterium is grown in citrus leaves. Finally, comparative genomic analysis revealed that 5 mutated ORFs are in new putative pathogenicity islands. Conclusion: The identification of these new genes related with Xcc infection and virulence is a great step towards the understanding of plant-pathogen interactions and could allow the development of strategies to control citrus canker.Item Novel insights into the genomic basis of citrus canker based on the genome sequences of two strains of Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii.(2010) Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Potnis, Neha; Digiampietri, Luciano Antonio; Adi, Said Sadique; Bortolossi, Julio Cesar; Silva, Ana Claudia Rasera da; Silva, Aline Maria da; Moraes, Fabrício Edgar de; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco de; Souza, Robson Francisco de; Facincani, Agda Paula; Ferraz, André Luiz Julien; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Furlan, Luiz Roberto; Gimenez, Daniele Fernanda Jovino; Jones, Jeffrey B.; Kitajima, Elliot Watanabe; Laia, Marcelo Luiz de; Leite Junior, Rui Pereira; Nishyama, Milton Yutaka; Rodrigues Neto, Julio; Dezem, Leticia Ane Sizuki Nociti; Norman, David J.; Ostroski, Eric Hainer; Pereira Junior, Haroldo Alves; Staskawicz, Brian J.; Tezza, Renata Izabel; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Vinatzer, Boris A.; Setubal, João CarlosBackground: Citrus canker is a disease that has severe economic impact on the citrus industry worldwide. There are three types of canker, called A, B, and C. The three types have different phenotypes and affect different citrus species. The causative agent for type A is Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, whose genome sequence was made available in 2002. Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain B causes canker B and Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain C causes canker C. Results: We have sequenced the genomes of strains B and C to draft status. We have compared their genomic content to X. citri subsp. citri and to other Xanthomonas genomes, with special emphasis on type III secreted effector repertoires. In addition to pthA, already known to be present in all three citrus canker strains, two additional effector genes, xopE3 and xopAI, are also present in all three strains and are both located on the same putative genomic island. These two effector genes, along with one other effector-like gene in the same region, are thus good candidates for being pathogenicity factors on citrus. Numerous gene content differences also exist between the three cankers strains, which can be correlated with their different virulence and host range. Particular attention was placed on the analysis of genes involved in biofilm formation and quorum sensing, type IV secretion, flagellum synthesis and motility, lipopolysacharide synthesis, and on the gene xacPNP, which codes for a natriuretic protein. Conclusion: We have uncovered numerous commonalities and differences in gene content between the genomes of the pathogenic agents causing citrus canker A, B, and C and other Xanthomonas genomes. Molecular genetics can now be employed to determine the role of these genes in plant-microbe interactions. The gained knowledge will be instrumental for improving citrus canker control.Item Origin and diversification of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri pathotypes revealed by inclusive phylogenomic, dating, and biogeographic analyses.(2019) Patané, José Salvatore Leister; Martins Junior, Joaquim; Rangel, Luiz Thiberio; Belasque Junior, José; Digiampietri, Luciano Antonio; Facincani, Agda Paula; Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Jaciani, Fabrício José; Zhang, Yunzeng; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Wang, Nian; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Setubal, João CarlosXanthomonas citri subsp. citri pathotypes cause bacterial citrus canker, being responsible for severe agricultural losses worldwide. The A pathotype has a broad host spectrum, while A* and Aw are more restricted both in hosts and in geography. Two previous phylogenomic studies led to contrasting well-supported clades for sequenced genomes of these pathotypes. No extensive biogeographical or divergence dating analytic approaches have been so far applied to available genomes. Results: Based on a larger sampling of genomes than in previous studies (including six new genomes sequenced by our group, adding to a total of 95 genomes), phylogenomic analyses resulted in different resolutions, though overall indicating that A + AW is the most likely true clade. Our results suggest the high degree of recombination at some branches and the fast diversification of lineages are probable causes for this phylogenetic blurring effect. One of the genomes analyzed, X. campestris pv. durantae, was shown to be an A* strain; this strain has been reported to infect a plant of the family Verbenaceae, though there are no reports of any X. citri subsp. citri pathotypes infecting any plant outside the Citrus genus. Host reconstruction indicated the pathotype ancestor likely had plant hosts in the family Fabaceae, implying an ancient jump to the current Rutaceae hosts. Extensive dating analyses indicated that the origin of X. citri subsp. citri occurred more recently than the main phylogenetic splits of Citrus plants, suggesting dispersion rather than host-directed vicariance as the main driver of geographic expansion. An analysis of 120 pathogenic-related genes revealed pathotype-associated patterns of presence/absence. Conclusions: Our results provide novel insights into the evolutionary history of X. citri subsp. citri as well as a sound phylogenetic foundation for future evolutionary and genomic studies of its pathotypes.Item Potential bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture prospected from ferruginous caves of the Iron Quadrangle/Brazil.(2021) Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Fernandes, Camila Henriques de Paula; Silva, Ana K.; Carmo, Flávio Fonseca do; Kamino, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino; Carvalho, Flávia Maria de Souza; Caicedo Cepeda, Juan Carlos; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Moreira, Leandro MarcioBiocontrol and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are important agricultural bioinoc- ulants. This study aimed to prospect new potential bioinoculants for a more sustainable agriculture from ferruginous caves of the Brazilian Iron Quadrangle. Culturable bacteria, from seven caves and one canga soil sample, were evaluated for biocontroller activity of the phytopathogens Xanthomonas citri subsp. Citri—Xcc306 (citrus canker), Fusarium oxysporum—Fo (fusariosis), and Colletotrichum lindemuthianum—Cl89 (bean anthracnose). The ability of the superior candidates to solubilize inor- ganic phosphate, fix nitrogen, and produce hydrolytic enzymes and siderophores was then analyzed. Out of 563 isolates, 47 inhibited the growth of Xcc306 in vitro, of which 9 reduced citrus canker up to 68% when co-inoculated with the pathogen on host plants. Twenty of the 47 inhibited Fo growth directly by 51–73%, and 15 indirectly by 75–81%. These 15 inhibited Cl89 growth in vitro (up to 93% directly and 100% indirectly), fixed nitrogen, produced proteases and siderophores, showed motility ability, produced biofilm, and all but one solubilized inorganic phosphate. Therefore, 15 (2.66%) bacterial isolates, from the genera Serratia, Nissabacter, and Dickeya, act simultaneously as biocontrollers and PGPBs, and could be important candidates for future investigations in planta as an alternative to minimize the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers through sustainable agricultural management practices.Item Proteome of the phytopathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri : a global expression profile.(2010) Soares, Márcia Regina; Fancicani, Agda Paula; Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco de; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Meneghini, Rogério; Gozzo, Fabio CesarBackground: Citrus canker is a disease caused by Xantomonas citri subsp.citri (Xac), and has emerged as one of the major threats to the worldwide citrus crop because it affects all commercial citrus varieties, decreases the production and quality of the fruits and can spread rapidly in citrus growing areas. In this work, the first proteome of Xac was analyzed using two methodologies, two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D LC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Results: In order to gain insight into the metabolism of Xac, cells were grown on two different media (NB - Nutrient Broth and TSE - Tryptone Sucrose broth enriched with glutamic acid), and proteins were proteolyzed with trypsin and examined by 2D LC-MS/MS. Approximately 39% of all predicted proteins by annotation of Xac were identified with their component peptides unambiguously assigned to tandem mass spectra. The proteins, about 1,100, were distributed in all annotated functional categories. Conclusions: This is the first proteomic reference map for the most aggressive strain of Xanthomonas pathogen of all orange varieties. The compilation of metabolic pathways involved with bacterial growth showed that Xac expresses a complete central and intermediary metabolism, replication, transcription and translation machineries and regulation factors, distinct membrane transporters (ABC, MFS and pumps) and receptors (MCP, TonB dependent and metabolites acquisition), two-component systems (sensor and regulatory components) and response regulators. These data corroborate the growth curve in vitro and are the first reports indicating that many of these genome annotated genes are translated into operative in Xac. This proteomic analysis also provided information regarding the influence of culture medium on growth and protein expression of Xac.Item Proteomics-based identification of differentially abundant proteins reveals adaptation mechanisms of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri during Citrus sinensis infection.(2017) Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Silva, Marcia Regina Soares da; Facincani, Agda Paula; Ferreira, Cristiano Barbalho; Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Gozzo, Fabio Cesar; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Garcia, Camila Carrião Machado; Setubal, João Carlos; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco deBackground: Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac) is the causal agent of citrus canker. A proteomic analysis under in planta infectious and non-infectious conditions was conducted in order to increase our knowledge about the adaptive process of Xac during infection. Results: For that, a 2D–based proteomic analysis of Xac at 1, 3 and 5 days after inoculation, in comparison to Xac growth in NB media was carried out and followed by MALDI-TOF-TOF identification of 124 unique differentially abundant proteins. Among them, 79 correspond to up-regulated proteins in at least one of the three stages of infection. Our results indicate an important role of proteins related to biofilm synthesis, lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis, and iron uptake and metabolism as possible modulators of plant innate immunity, and revealed an intricate network of proteins involved in reactive oxygen species adaptation during Plants` Oxidative Burst response. We also identified proteins previously unknown to be involved in Xac-Citrus interaction, including the hypothetical protein XAC3981. A mutant strain for this gene has proved to be non-pathogenic in respect to classical symptoms of citrus canker induced in compatible plants. Conclusions: This is the first time that a protein repertoire is shown to be active and working in an integrated manner during the infection process in a compatible host, pointing to an elaborate mechanism for adaptation of Xac once inside the plant.Item Serratia liquefaciens FG3 isolated from a metallophyte plant sheds light on the evolution and mechanisms of adaptive traits in extreme environments.(2019) Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Sanchez, Angelica Bianchini; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Fonseca, Natasha Peixoto; Villa, Morghana Marina; Vieira, Izadora Tabuso; Moraes, Lauro Ângelo Gonçalves de; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Carmo, Flávio Fonseca do; Kamino, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino; Silva, Robson Soares; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Santos, Vera Lúcia; Silva, Ubiana de Cássia Mourão; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Garcia, Camila Carrião Machado; Setubal, João Carlos; Moreira, Leandro MarcioSerratia liquefaciens strain FG3 (SlFG3), isolated from the flower of Stachytarpheta glabra in the Brazilian ferruginous fields, has distinctive genomic, adaptive, and biotechnological potential. Herein, using a combination of genomics and molecular approaches, we unlocked the evolution of the adaptive traits acquired by S1FG3, which exhibits the second largest chromosome containing the largest conjugative plasmids described for Serratia. Comparative analysis revealed the presence of 18 genomic islands and 311 unique protein families involved in distinct adaptive features. S1FG3 has a diversified repertoire of genes associated with Nonribosomal peptides (NRPs/PKS), a complete and functional cluster related to cellulose synthesis, and an extensive and functional repertoire of oxidative metabolism genes. In addition, S1FG3 possesses a complete pathway related to protocatecuate and chloroaromatic degradation, and a complete repertoire of genes related to DNA repair and protection that includes mechanisms related to UV light tolerance, redox process resistance, and a laterally acquired capacity to protect DNA using phosphorothioation. These findings summarize that SlFG3 is well-adapted to different biotic and abiotic stress situations imposed by extreme conditions associated with ferruginous fields, unlocking the impact of the lateral gene transfer to adjust the genome for extreme environments, and providing insight into the evolution of prokaryotes.Item A TALE of transposition : Tn3-like transposons play a major role in the spread of pathogenicity determinants of Xanthomonas citri and other Xanthomonads.(2015) Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Oliveira, Amanda Carolina Paulino de; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Belasque Junior, José; Gourbeyre, Edith; Siguier, Patricia; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Chandler, Michael; Varani, Alessandro de MelloMembers of the genus Xanthomonas are among the most important phytopathogens. A key feature of Xanthomonas pathogenesis is the translocation of type III secretion system (T3SS) effector proteins (T3SEs) into the plant target cells via a T3SS. Several T3SEs and a murein lytic transglycosylase gene (mlt, required for citrus canker symptoms) are found associated with three transposition-related genes in Xanthomonas citri plasmid pXAC64. These are flanked by short inverted repeats (IRs). The region was identified as a transposon, TnXax1, with typical Tn3 family features, including a transposase and two recombination genes. Two 14-bp palindromic sequences within a 193-bp potential resolution site occur between the recombination genes. Additional derivatives carrying different T3SEs and other passenger genes occur in different Xanthomonas species. The T3SEs include transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs). Certain TALEs are flanked by the same IRs as found in TnXax1 to form mobile insertion cassettes (MICs), suggesting that they may be transmitted horizontally. A significant number of MICs carrying other passenger genes (including a number of TALE genes) were also identified, flanked by the same TnXax1 IRs and delimited by 5-bp target site duplications. We conclude that a large fraction of T3SEs, including individual TALEs and potential pathogenicity determinants, have spread by transposition and that TnXax1, which exhibits all of the essential characteristics of a functional transposon, may be involved in driving MIC transposition. We also propose that TALE genes may diversify by fork slippage during the replicative Tn3 family transposition. These mechanisms may play a crucial role in the emergence of Xanthomonas pathogenicity.Item Type IV secretion system is not involved in infection process in citrus.(2014) Jacob, Tiago Rinaldi; Laia, Marcelo Luiz de; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Gonçalves, Janaína Fernandes; Carvalho, Flavia Maria de Souza; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Ferro, Jesus AparecidoThe type IV secretion system (T4SS) is used by Gram-negative bacteria to translocate protein and DNA substrates across the cell envelope and into target cells. Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri contains two copies of the T4SS, one in the chromosome and the other is plasmid-encoded. To understand the conditions that induce expression of the T4SS in Xcc, we analyzed, in vitro and in planta, the expression of 18 ORFs from the T4SS and 7 hypothetical flanking genes by RT-qPCR. As a positive control, we also evaluated the expression of 29 ORFs from the type III secretion system (T3SS), since these genes are known to be expressed during plant infection condition, but not necessarily in standard culture medium. From the 29 T3SS genes analyzed by qPCR, only hrpA was downregulated at 72 h after inoculation. All genes associated with the T4SS were downregulated on Citrus leaves 72 h after inoculation. Our results showed that unlike the T3SS, the T4SS is not induced during the infection process.Item Unravelling potential virulence factor candidates in Xanthomonas citri. subsp. citri by secretome analysis.(2016) Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Silva, Marcia Regina Soares da; Laia, Marcelo Luiz de; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco de; Ferro, Maria Inês TiraboschiCitrus canker is a major disease affecting citrus production in Brazil. It's mainly caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri strain 306 pathotype A (Xac). We analysed the differential expression of proteins secreted by wild type Xac and an asymptomatic mutant for hrpB4 (1hrpB4) grown in Nutrient Broth (NB) and a medium mimicking growth conditions in the plant (XAM1). This allowed the identification of 55 secreted proteins, of which 37 were secreted by both strains when cultured in XAM1. In this secreted protein repertoire, the following stand out: Virk, Polyphosphate-selective porin, Cellulase, Endoglucanase, Histone-like protein, Ribosomal proteins, five hypothetical proteins expressed only in the wild type strain, Lytic murein transglycosylase, Lipoprotein, Leucyl-tRNA synthetase, Co-chaperonin, Toluene tolerance, C-type cytochrome biogenesis membrane protein, Aminopeptidase and two hypothetical proteins expressed only in the1hrpB4 mutant. Furthermore, Peptidoglycan-associated outer membrane protein, Regulator of pathogenicity factor, Outer membrane proteins, Endopolygalacturonase, Chorismate mutase, Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase and seven hypothetical proteins were detected in both strains, suggesting that there was no relationship with the secretion mediated by the type III secretory system, which is not functional in the mutant strain. Also worth mentioning is the Elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), expressed only the wild type strain, and Type IV pilus assembly protein, Flagellin (FliC) and Flagellar hook-associated protein, identified in the wild-type strain secretome when grown only in NB. Noteworthy, that FliC, EF-Tu are classically characterized as PAMPs (Pathogen-associated molecular patterns), responsible for a PAMP-triggered immunity response. Therefore, our results highlight proteins potentially involved with the virulence. Overall, we conclude that the use of secretome data is a valuable approach that may bring more knowledge of the biology of this important plant pathogen, which ultimately can lead to the establishment of new strategies to combat citrus canker.