Open AccessProvidencia entomophila sp. nov., a new bacterial species associated with major olive pests in Tunisia
Author(s) -
Ines Ksentini,
Houda Gharsallah,
Mouna Sahnoun,
Christina Schuster,
Sirine Amri,
Rim Gargouri,
Mohamed Ali Triki,
Mohieddine Ksantini,
Andreas Leclerque
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0223943
Subject(s) - providencia , biology , botany , microbiology and biotechnology , enterobacteriaceae , escherichia coli , gene , biochemistry
Bioprospection for potential microbial biocontrol agents associated with three major insect pests of economic relevance for olive cultivation in the Mediterranean area, namely the olive fly, Bactrocera oleae , the olive moth, Prays oleae , and the olive psyllid, Euphyllura olivina , led to the isolation of several strains of readily cultivable Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria from Tunisian olive orchards. Determination of 16S ribosomal RNA encoding sequences identified the bacteria as members of the taxonomic genus Providencia ( Enterobacterales; Morganellaceae ). A more detailed molecular taxonomic analysis based on a previously established set of protein-encoding marker genes together with DNA-DNA hybridization and metabolic profiling studies led to the conclusion that the new isolates should be organized in a new species within this genus. With reference to their original insect association, the designation “ Providencia entomophila ” is proposed here for this hypothetical new taxon.