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Title: SEQUENCE AND BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF SERRATIA MARCESCENS STRAINS ASSOCIATED WITH CUCURBIT YELLOW VINE DISEASE

Author
item RASCOE, J. - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item BERG, M. - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item MELCHER, U. - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item FLETCHER, J. - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item MITCHELL, F. - TX AGRIC. EXPT. STN.
item Bruton, Benny

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cucurbit yellow vine (YV) causes severe vine decline and death. The phloem-resident bacterium consistently associated with YV was shown by PCR product sequencing to be a gamma-3-proteobacterium related to Serratia marcescens (Sm). Recently DNA sequencing, fatty acid analysis and substrate utilization were used to identify the YV bacterium. Additional strains from various sources, identified as Sm by others, served as references. 16S rDNA and groE sequencing unequivocally identified two YV isolates and 6 of 8 reference strains as Sm. Fatty acid and substrate profiles, however, revealed significant dissimilarity among the 10 tested strains, placing several (including the YV strains) as different species. Sm can be a saprophyte in soil and water, a beneficial endophyte, a biocontrol agent, an insect pathogen and even an opportunistic human pathogen. The range of biological profiles may reflect one species' adaptations to diverse ecological niches.