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The function and regulation of genes required for extracellular polysaccharide synthesis and virulence in Pseudomonas solanacearum

P. solanacearum extracellular polysaccharide

  • Chapter
Molecular Mechanisms of Bacterial Virulence

Part of the book series: Developments in Plant Pathology ((DIPP,volume 3))

Abstract

In the bacterial wilt pathogen Pseudomonas solanacearum wild-type level of virulence requires the production of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS). However the structure of EPS and the regulation of its production in P. solanacearum are poorly understood. To determine the function of EPS genes we have extensively characterized the ops gene cluster. Mutations in any of the seven complementation units of this cluster not only affect EPS production but also the structure of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Furthermore one of the complementation units appears to encode enzymes responsible for the synthesis of rhamnose a component of LPS and EPS. To better understand regulation of EPS production we characterized epsR a regulatory locus whose product prevents EPS production and affects virulence. The epsR gene encodes a polypeptide of about 26 kDa whose sequence contains conserved motifs found in several previously identified bacterial regulatory proteins.

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Abbreviations

EPS:

Extracellular Polysaccharide

LPS:

Lipopolysaccharide

wt:

Wild-Type

GalNac:

N-acetyl Galactosamine

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Authors
  1. Chris Cheng Kao
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  2. Luis Sequeira
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    C. I. Kado

  2. Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA

    J. H. Crosa

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Kao, C.C., Sequeira, L. (1994). The function and regulation of genes required for extracellular polysaccharide synthesis and virulence in Pseudomonas solanacearum . In: Kado, C.I., Crosa, J.H. (eds) Molecular Mechanisms of Bacterial Virulence. Developments in Plant Pathology, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0746-4_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0746-4_7

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