Open AccessHost adaptation and microbial competition drive Ralstonia solanacearum phylotype I evolution in the Republic of Korea
Author(s) -
Maxim Prokchorchik,
Ankita Pandey,
Hayoung Moon,
Wanhui Kim,
Hyelim Jeon,
Gayoung Jung,
Jay Jayaraman,
Stephen J. Poole,
Cécile Segonzac,
Kee Hoon Sohn,
Honour C. McCann
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
microbial genomics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.476
H-Index - 28
ISSN - 2057-5858
DOI - 10.1099/mgen.0.000461
Subject(s) - phylotype , ralstonia solanacearum , bacterial wilt , biology , solanum , effector , pathogen , genetics , gene , botany , phylogenetics , immunology
Bacterial wilt caused by the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) threatens the cultivation of important crops worldwide. We sequenced 30 RSSC phylotype I ( R. pseudosolanacearum ) strains isolated from pepper ( Capsicum annuum ) and tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) across the Republic of Korea. These isolates span the diversity of phylotype I, have extensive effector repertoires and are subject to frequent recombination. Recombination hotspots among South Korean phylotype I isolates include multiple predicted contact-dependent inhibition loci, suggesting that microbial competition plays a significant role in Ralstonia evolution. Rapid diversification of secreted effectors presents challenges for the development of disease-resistant plant varieties. We identified potential targets for disease resistance breeding by testing for allele-specific host recognition of T3Es present among South Korean phyloype I isolates. The integration of pathogen population genomics and molecular plant pathology contributes to the development of location-specific disease control and development of plant cultivars with durable resistance to relevant threats.