Curtobacterium spp. and Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens: Phylogeny, Genomics-Based Taxonomy, Pathogenicity, and Diagnostics

Abstract

The genus of Curtobacterium, belonging to the Microbacteriaceae family of the Actinomycetales order, includes economically significant pathogenic bacteria of soybeans and other agricultural crops. Thorough phylogenetic and full-genome analysis using the latest genomic data has demonstrated a complex and contradictory taxonomic picture within the group of organisms classified as the Curtobacterium species. Based on these data, it is possible to delineate about 50 new species and to reclassify a substantial part of the Curtobacterium strains. It is suggested that 53 strains, including most of the Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pathovars, can compose a monophyletic group classified as C. flaccumfaciens. A genomic analysis using the most recent inventory of bacterial chromosomal and plasmid genomes deposited to GenBank confirmed the possible role of Microbacteriaceae plasmids in pathogenicity and demonstrated the existence of a group of related plasmids carrying virulence factors and possessing a gene distantly related to DNA polymerase found in bacteriophages and archaeal and eukaryotic viruses. A PCR diagnostic assay specific to the genus Curtobacterium was developed and tested. The presented results assist in the understanding of the evolutionary relations within the genus and can lay the foundation for further taxonomic updates.

Phytopathogenic Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens Strains Circulating on Leguminous Plants, Alternative Hosts and Weeds in Russia

“…The attribution of novel isolates to Curtobacterium sp. was initially assessed using the genus-specific diagnostic PCR test [ 18 ], as well as using the Cff-specific assay [ 19 ]. For strains of the collection that demonstrated a positive signal in both cases, further study was conducted aimed at assessing the physiological and biochemical properties of the isolates.…”

Prophage-Derived Regions in Curtobacterium Genomes: Good Things, Small Packages

“…Thirty-six strains were classified as C. flaccumfaciens and 28 strains were classified as pathovars of C. flaccumfaciens . Previous research [ 19 ] revealed inconsistencies in the taxonomy of genus Curtobacterium and called for taxonomic re-evaluation. Thus, all 197 genomes have been used for analyses.…”

“…Genetic determinants of environmental adaptation and plant pathogenicity among Curtobacterium sp. are not completely understood [ 19 ], and may be influenced by mobile elements such as plasmids as well as prophages or their remnants. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria.…”

Using of Essential Oils and Plant Extracts against Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. glycinea and Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens on Soybean

“…Psg strains reacted positively with PCR assay for gene cfl [ 8 ] and had sequences of gene cts fragments [ 81 ] that were most similar to the corresponding sequence in the genome of the Psg strains in Genbank. Strains Cff were attributed by PCR using genus-specific [ 82 ] and species-specific [ 83 ] primers.…”