The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic Features
The syndrome “bassess richesses” is a vector-borne disease of sugar beet in Germany. The gammaproteobacterium ‘<i>Candidatus</i> Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ causes reduced sugar content and biomass, growth abnormalities, and yellowing. Co-infection with the 16SrXII-P stolbur phytopla...
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2025-02-01
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| author | Rafael Toth Bruno Huettel Mark Varrelmann Michael Kube |
| author_facet | Rafael Toth Bruno Huettel Mark Varrelmann Michael Kube |
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| description | The syndrome “bassess richesses” is a vector-borne disease of sugar beet in Germany. The gammaproteobacterium ‘<i>Candidatus</i> Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ causes reduced sugar content and biomass, growth abnormalities, and yellowing. Co-infection with the 16SrXII-P stolbur phytoplasmas often leads to more severe symptoms and a risk of complete economic loss. This yellowing agent of the Mollicutes class had not been described before, so its differences from other stolbur phytoplasmas remained unanswered. The genome of strain GOE was sequenced, providing a resource to analyze its characteristics. Phylogenetic position was revised, genome organization was compared, and functional reconstructions of metabolic and virulence factors were performed. Average nucleotide identity analysis indicates that GOE represents a new ‘<i>Ca.</i> Phytoplasma’ species. Our results show that GOE is also distinct from other stolbur phytoplasmas in terms of smaller genome size and G+C content. Its reductive evolution is reflected in conserved membrane protein repertoire and minimal metabolism. The encoding of a riboflavin kinase indicates a lost pathway of phytoplasmas outside the groups 16SrXII and 16SrXIII. GOE shows a complete <i>tra5</i> transposon harboring orthologs of SAP11, SAP54, and SAP05 effectors indicating an original phytoplasma pathogenicity island. Our results deepen the understanding of phytoplasma evolution and reaffirm the heterogeneity of stolbur phytoplasmas. |
| format | Article |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c063eccce34e467fb8269e11e4e589662025-08-20T02:44:47ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-02-0114218010.3390/pathogens14020180The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic FeaturesRafael Toth0Bruno Huettel1Mark Varrelmann2Michael Kube3Department of Integrative Infection Biology Crops-Livestock, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyMax Planck-Genome-Center Cologne, 50829 Cologne, GermanyInstitute of Sugar Beet Research (IfZ), 37079 Göttingen, GermanyDepartment of Integrative Infection Biology Crops-Livestock, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyThe syndrome “bassess richesses” is a vector-borne disease of sugar beet in Germany. The gammaproteobacterium ‘<i>Candidatus</i> Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ causes reduced sugar content and biomass, growth abnormalities, and yellowing. Co-infection with the 16SrXII-P stolbur phytoplasmas often leads to more severe symptoms and a risk of complete economic loss. This yellowing agent of the Mollicutes class had not been described before, so its differences from other stolbur phytoplasmas remained unanswered. The genome of strain GOE was sequenced, providing a resource to analyze its characteristics. Phylogenetic position was revised, genome organization was compared, and functional reconstructions of metabolic and virulence factors were performed. Average nucleotide identity analysis indicates that GOE represents a new ‘<i>Ca.</i> Phytoplasma’ species. Our results show that GOE is also distinct from other stolbur phytoplasmas in terms of smaller genome size and G+C content. Its reductive evolution is reflected in conserved membrane protein repertoire and minimal metabolism. The encoding of a riboflavin kinase indicates a lost pathway of phytoplasmas outside the groups 16SrXII and 16SrXIII. GOE shows a complete <i>tra5</i> transposon harboring orthologs of SAP11, SAP54, and SAP05 effectors indicating an original phytoplasma pathogenicity island. Our results deepen the understanding of phytoplasma evolution and reaffirm the heterogeneity of stolbur phytoplasmas.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/2/180SBRsugar beetphylogenyvirulence factorphytoplasma pathogenicity island |
| spellingShingle | Rafael Toth Bruno Huettel Mark Varrelmann Michael Kube The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic Features Pathogens SBR sugar beet phylogeny virulence factor phytoplasma pathogenicity island |
| title | The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic Features |
| title_full | The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic Features |
| title_fullStr | The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic Features |
| title_full_unstemmed | The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic Features |
| title_short | The 16SrXII-P Phytoplasma GOE Is Separated from Other Stolbur Phytoplasmas by Key Genomic Features |
| title_sort | 16srxii p phytoplasma goe is separated from other stolbur phytoplasmas by key genomic features |
| topic | SBR sugar beet phylogeny virulence factor phytoplasma pathogenicity island |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/2/180 |
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