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The use of fluorescent reporter protein tagging to study the interaction between Root‐Knot Nematodes and Soft Rot E nterobacteriaceae
Author(s) -
Mongae A.,
Kubheka G.C.,
Moleleki N.,
Moleleki L.N.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/lam.12045
Subject(s) - mcherry , biology , meloidogyne incognita , pectobacterium carotovorum , meloidogyne javanica , terra incognita , pectobacterium , root knot nematode , green fluorescent protein , nematode , enterobacteriaceae , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , pathogen , genetics , ecology , escherichia coli
The study of plant parasitic nematodes such as M eloidogyne spp . and their interactions with phytopathogenic bacteria remains underexplored. One of the challenges towards establishing such interactions is the dependence on symptom development as a measure of interaction. In this study, mCherry was employed as a reporter protein to investigate the interaction between the soft rot E nterobacteriaceae ( SRE ) P ectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis ( Pcb ) and root‐knot nematode ( M . incognita ). P ectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis was transformed with pMP7604 generating Pcb_mCherry strain. This strain was shown to attach to the surface coat of M . incognita J2 at the optimum temperature of 28°C. This suggests that RKN juveniles may play a role in disseminating Pcb in soils that are heavily infested with Pcb . The presence of RKN juveniles was shown to play a role in introducing Pcb_mCherry into potato tubers potentially acting as a source of latent tuber infections. Significance and Impact of the Study This study uses fluorescent reporter protein tagging as a tool to demonstrate the interaction between root‐knot nematode ( Meloidogyne incognita ) and the soft rot Enterobacteriacea ( Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis) . Introduction of Pectobacterium through wounds generated by second‐stage juveniles (J2) into potato tubers was demonstrated. These results suggest that RKN juveniles can facilitate latent infection of potato tubers in the soil. These findings have important implications in the management of RKN and SRE in seed potato production. Furthermore, this tool can be used to study other nematode–bacteria interactions that have not been previously studied.