Distribution and functional analysis of two-types of Quorum Sensing Gene Pairs, glaI1/glaR1 and glaI2/glaR2, in Burkholderia gladioli.

Burkholderia gladioli produces a yellow-pigmented toxin called toxoflavin, and causes disease on a variety of plants. Previous studies have suggested that the pathogenicity of B. gladioli is regulated by an N-acyl-l-homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated quorum sensing (QS) system.

Infrared laser-induced gene expression in single cells characterized by quantitative imaging in Physcomitrium patens.

A spatiotemporal understanding of gene function requires the precise control of gene expression in each cell. Here, we use an infrared laser-evoked gene operator (IR-LEGO) system to induce gene expression at the single-cell level in the moss Physcomitrium patens by heating a living cell with an IR laser and thereby activating the heat shock response. We identify the laser irradiation conditions that provide higher inducibility with lower invasiveness by changing the laser power and irradiation duration.

sp. nov., a pathogen causing bacterial soft rot of Japanese angelica tree in Japan.

Phytopathogenic bacteria (MAFF 302110 and MAFF 302107) were isolated from lesions on Japanese angelica trees affected by bacterial soft rot in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The strains were Gram-reaction-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile with peritrichous flagella, rod-shaped, and non-spore-forming. The genomic DNA G+C content was 51.

Identification and characterization of novel N-acylhomoserine lactonase from nonpathogenic Allorhizobium vitis, a candidate for biocontrol agent.

Some strains of nonpathogenic Allorhizobium vitis can control crown gall disease in grapevines caused by pathogenic A. vitis and are considered candidates for biocontrol agents. Many plant pathogenic bacteria regulate the expression of their virulence genes via quorum sensing using N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) as a signaling compound.