title: Metabolic versatility and antibacterial metabolite biosynthesis are distinguishing genomic features of the fire blight antagonist Pantoea vagans C9-1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pantoea vagans is a commercialized biological control agent used against the pome fruit bacterial disease fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora. Compared to other biocontrol agents, relatively little is currently known regarding Pantoea genetics. Better understanding of antagonist mechanisms of action and ecological fitness is critical to improving efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genome analysis indicated two major factors Contribute to biocontrol activity: competition for limiting substrates and antibacterial metabolite production. Pathways for utilization of a broad diversity of sugars and acquisition of iron were identified. Metabolism of sorbitol by P. vagans C9-1 may be a major metabolic feature in biocontrol of fire blight. Biosynthetic genes for the antibacterial peptide pantocin A were found on a chromosomal 28-kb genomic island, and for dapdiamide E on the plasmid pPag2. There was no evidence of potential virulence factors that could enable an animal or phytopathogenic lifestyle and no indication of any genetic-based biosafety risk in the antagonist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identifying key determinants contributing to disease suppression allows the development of procedures to follow their expression in planta and the genome sequence contributes to rationale risk assessment regarding the use of the biocontrol strain in agricultural systems.
authors.affiliation: Swiss National Competence Center for Fire Blight, Division of Plant Protection, Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil ACW, Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Theo H M
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rezzonico
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamber
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blom
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goesmann
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ishimaru
authors.forename: Jürg E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: Virginia O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Stockwell
authors.forename: Brion
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duffy
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D044084:Erwinia amylovora / Q000502:physiology; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000382:microbiology; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D044404:Genomic Islands / Q000235:genetics; D023281:Genomics; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D020636:Pantoea / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017262:Siderophores / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006020:Glycopeptides; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D017262:Siderophores; C482694:pantocin A; C030737:indoleacetic acid; D002244:Carbon