In:
eLife, eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd, Vol. 6 ( 2017-12-12)
Abstract:
All organisms live in a world teeming with bacteria. Some bacteria are beneficial and, for example, provide their hosts with nutrients. Others cause harm, for example, by stealing nutrients and causing disease. Many bacteria can also gain DNA from other bacteria, and the genes encoded within the new DNA can help them to live with other organisms. This can start the bacteria on an evolutionary path to becoming beneficial or harmful. Rhodococcus are bacteria that live in association with many species of plants, including trees. Most are harmless but some cause disease. Plants infected with harmful Rhodococcus can show deformed growth, which causes major losses to the nursery industry. Savory, Fuller, Weisberg et al. set out to understand how disease-causing Rhodococcus are introduced into nurseries, if they are transferred between nurseries, whether they persist in nurseries, and how to limit their spread. It turns out that harmless Rhodococcus are beneficial to plants. However, if these harmless bacteria gain a certain DNA molecule – called a virulence plasmid – they can convert into harmful bacteria. Further analysis showed that some nurseries repeatedly acquired the harmful bacteria. The pattern of affected nurseries suggested that some might have purchased diseased plants from a common provider. In other cases, the sources remained a mystery. Savory et al. also report that, contrary to previous findings, there is no evidence to support the diagnosis that Rhodococcus without a virulence plasmid are responsible for an unusual growth problem that has plagued the pistachio industry. In recent years, this incorrect diagnosis led to trees being unnecessarily destroyed, worsening the economic losses. These findings suggest that genes moving between bacteria can dramatically change how those bacteria interact with the organisms in which they live. It needs to be shown whether this is an exceptional process, unique to only certain groups of bacteria, or if it is more widespread in nature. These findings could inform future disease management strategies to better protect agricultural systems.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2050-084X
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.001
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.002
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.003
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.004
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.005
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.006
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.007
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.008
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.009
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.010
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.011
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.012
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.013
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.014
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.015
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.016
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.022
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.017
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.018
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.019
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.020
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.021
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.023
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.024
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.025
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.026
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.027
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.028
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.029
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.030
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.031
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.032
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.033
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.034
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.040
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.30925.041
Language:
English
Publisher:
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Publication Date:
2017
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2687154-3
Permalink