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Role of secondary metabolites in the biocontrol activity of Pseudomonas corrugata and Pseudomonas mediterranea

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Abstract

In this study, the Pseudomonas corrugata strain CFBP 5454 and the P. mediterranea strain CFBP 5447 were shown to produce diffusible compounds that inhibit the in vitro growth of plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria and antifungal volatile compounds. In addition, both bacterial strains were found to produce cyanide. Mutant derivatives in LuxR transcriptional regulators, i.e. P. corrugata GL2 (pcoR mutant) and GLRFIA (rfiA mutant), and P. mediterranea PSMER (pmeR mutant) and PSRFIA (rfiA mutant) impaired in cyclic lipopeptide (CLP) production, showed a diffusible compound-mediated reduced activity, depending on the biocontrol strain, challenge microorganism and culture medium. The volatile compound-mediated activity and cyanide production were not affected in the mutants. Genome analysis of the P. corrugata strain CFBP 5454 led to the identification of putative genes involved in the hydrogen cyanide (HCN) biosynthesis. HCN is a volatile organic compound (VOC), and as in other Pseudomonas, the HCN cluster consisted of three contiguous structural genes, hcnABC, which together encoded a membrane-bound HCN synthase complex, which was sufficient for cyanogenesis. The putative hcnA gene was insertionally inactivated. A genomic mutant was characterized, and the role of this compound in biocontrol activity was investigated. A qualitative test for the detection of HCN production confirmed that in the hcnA mutant strain, metabolite production is completely abolished. In vitro experiments on the phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea also showed that HCN production is mainly involved in conidia germination inhibition.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank P. Lavermicocca (Istituto di Tossine e Micotossine da Parassiti Vegetali, C.N.R., Bari, Italy), for providing Bacillus megaterium, C. Oliveri (University of Catania), for Penicillum digitatum PVCT235 and T. Arie (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology -TUAT, Fuchu, Japan), for Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Saitama ly1). This work was supported by the project “PolyBioPlast” PON01 01377 funded by MIUR (Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, Italy) and MISE (Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico) and cofunded by EU (PON 2007–2013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, 95123, Catania, Italy

    Cinzia Patricia Strano, Andrea Caruso & Vittoria Catara

  2. Dipartimento di AGRARIA, University “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122, Reggio Calabria, Italy

    Cinzia Patricia Strano

  3. Department of Agricultural, Forest Sciences University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy

    Patrizia Bella

  4. Science and Technology Park of Sicily, Viale V. Lancia 57, 95121, Catania, Italy

    Grazia Licciardello

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  1. Cinzia Patricia Strano
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Correspondence to Cinzia Patricia Strano.

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Strano, C.P., Bella, P., Licciardello, G. et al. Role of secondary metabolites in the biocontrol activity of Pseudomonas corrugata and Pseudomonas mediterranea . Eur J Plant Pathol 149, 103–115 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-017-1169-x

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