A lipopolysaccharide-dependent phage infects a pseudomonad phytopathogen and can evolve to evade phage resistance.

Bacterial pathogens are major causes of crop diseases, leading to significant production losses. For instance, kiwifruit canker, caused by the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), has posed a global challenge to kiwifruit production.

Genome, Proteome and Structure of a T7-Like Bacteriophage of the Kiwifruit Canker Phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae.

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae is an economically significant pathogen responsible for severe bacterial canker of kiwifruit (Actinidia sp.).

Improved detection of Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria by multiplex PCR.

Background: The presence of coliform bacteria is routinely assessed to establish the microbiological safety of water supplies and raw or processed foods. Coliforms are a group of lactose-fermenting Enterobacteriaceae, which most likely acquired the lacZ gene by horizontal transfer and therefore constitute a polyphyletic group. Among this group of bacteria is Escherichia coli, the pathogen that is most frequently associated with foodborne disease outbreaks and is often identified by β-glucuronidase enzymatic activity or by the redundant detection of uidA by PCR.

Overlap of replication rounds disturbs the progression of replicating forks in a ribonucleotide reductase mutant of Escherichia coli.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is the only enzyme specifically required for the synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides (dNTPs). Surprisingly, Escherichia coli cells carrying the nrdA101 allele, which codes for a thermosensitive RNR101, are able to replicate entire chromosomes at 42 °C under RNA or protein synthesis inhibition. Here we show that the RNR101 protein is unstable at 42 °C and that its degradation under restrictive conditions is prevented by the presence of rifampicin.