The plant pathogen Erwinia amylovora produces acyl-homoserine lactone signal molecules in vitro and in planta

Vittorio Venturi; Chiara Venuti; Giulia Devescovi; Carla Lucchese; Arianna Friscina; Giuliano Degrassi; Claudio Aguilar; Umberto Mazzucchi

doi:10.1016/j.femsle.2004.10.015

The plant pathogen Erwinia amylovora produces acyl-homoserine lactone signal molecules in vitro and in planta

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2004 Dec 15;241(2):179-83. doi: 10.1016/j.femsle.2004.10.015.

Authors

Vittorio Venturi¹, Chiara Venuti, Giulia Devescovi, Carla Lucchese, Arianna Friscina, Giuliano Degrassi, Claudio Aguilar, Umberto Mazzucchi

Affiliation

¹ Bacteriology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Area Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34012 Trieste, Italy. venturi@icgeb.org

PMID: 15598530
DOI: 10.1016/j.femsle.2004.10.015

Abstract

We report for the first time the production of acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) by Erwina amylovora, an important quarantine bacterial pathogen that causes fire blight in plants. E. amylovora produces one N-acyl homoserine lactone [a N-(3-oxo-hexanoyl)-homoserine lactone or a N-(3-hydroxy-hexanoyl)-homoserine lactone] quorum sensing signal molecule both in vitro and in planta (pear plant). Given the involvement of AHLs in plant pathogenesis, we speculate that AHL-dependent quorum sensing could play an important role in the regulation of E. amylovora virulence.

MeSH terms

4-Butyrolactone / analogs & derivatives*
4-Butyrolactone / biosynthesis*
Erwinia amylovora / growth & development
Erwinia amylovora / metabolism
Erwinia amylovora / pathogenicity*
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
Plant Diseases / microbiology*
Pyrus / microbiology*
Signal Transduction
Virulence

Substances

homoserine lactone
4-Butyrolactone