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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #299744
Title: Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 produces furanomycin, a non-proteinogenic amino acid with selective antimicrobial properties

Author
item Trippe, Kristin
item MCPHAIL, KERRY - Oregon State University
item ARMSTRONG, DONALD - Oregon State University
item Azevedo, Mark
item Banowetz, Gary

Submitted to: BMC Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/13/2013
Publication Date: 11/19/2013
Citation: Trippe, K.M., Mcphail, K., Armstrong, D., Azevedo, M.D., Banowetz, G.M. 2013. Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 produces furanomycin, a non-proteinogenic amino acid with selective antimicrobial properties. BMC Microbiology. 13:263.

Interpretive Summary: Pseudomonas fluorescens is an opportunistic, plant-associated bacterium that occurs throughout terrestrial ecosystems and is commonly isolated from the surface of plant roots and leaves. The large genome of P. fluorescens provides the potential for an extensive biochemical repertoire that enables some strains to produce bioactive molecules involved in microbe-microbe, plant-microbe, and insect-microbe interactions. Some of these secondary metabolites have antimicrobial activities which may have practical utility for biocontrol of plant pathogens. As a consequence, there is continuing interest in characterizing secondary metabolites produced by these bacteria. We found that SBW25, a strain of P. fluorescens that was isolated from soil in western Oregon produces furanomycin, an antibiotic which inhibits the growth of several bacterial plant pathogens including P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000, a pathogen of tomatoes, and Dickeya dadantii, a bacterium that causes bacterial soft rot of corn. The isolation of furanomycin from SBW25 represented the first instance production of this antibiotic by Pseuodomonas and may have practical utility in preventing certain bacterial diseases of crop plants.

Technical Abstract: Pseudomonas fluorescens is an opportunistic, plant-associated ' –proteobacterium that occurs throughout terrestrial ecosystems and is commonly isolated from the surface of plant roots and leaves. Strains of P. fluorescens are physiologically and ecologically diverse, and genomic data from multiple strains indicate that the group is functionally and ecologically diverse. The large genomes of P. fluorescens enable some strains to produce bioactive molecules that mediate microbe-microbe, plant-microbe, and insect-microbe interactions. Some of these secondary metabolites have antimicrobial activities. We found that SBW25, a strain of P. fluorescens isolated from soil in western Oregon produces furanomycin, an antibiotic which inhibits the growth of several bacterial plant pathogens including P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000, a pathogen of tomatoes, and Dickeya dadantii, a bacterium that causes bacterial soft rot of corn. The ability of furanomycin to inhibit the growth of certain bacteria was reversed by the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, or valine This study broadens the range of bacteria that are known to produce furanomycin and extends the known panel of furanomycin-susceptible bacteria to include several opportunistic plant pathogens. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the production of furanomycin by a pseudomonad.