title: Functional analysis of the aroC gene encoding chorismate synthase from Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae.
abstract: Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial blight in rice, and this bacterial blight has been widely found in the major rice-growing areas. We constructed a transposon mutagenesis library of X. oryzae pv. oryzae and identified a mutant strain (KXOM9) that is deficient for pigment production and virulence. Furthermore, the KXOM9 mutant was unable to grow in minimal medium lacking aromatic amino acids. Thermal asymmetric interlaced-PCR and sequence analysis of KXOM9 revealed that the transposon was inserted into the aroC gene, which encodes a chorismate synthase in various bacterial pathogens. In planta growth assays revealed that bacterial growth of the KXOM9 mutant in rice leaves was severely reduced. Genetic complementation of this mutant with a 7.9-kb fragment containing aroC restored virulence, pigmentation, and prototrophy. These results suggest that the aroC gene plays a crucial role in the growth, attenuation of virulence, and pigment production of X. oryzae pv. oryzae.
authors.affiliation: National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon 441-707, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Sung
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Tae-Hwan
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Yeong-Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong-Gu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Heejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Byoung-Moo
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D024322:Amino Acids, Aromatic / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D012275:Oryza / Q000382:microbiology; D019761:Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014774:Virulence; D014974:Xanthomonas / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D024322:Amino Acids, Aromatic; D003470:Culture Media; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010860:Pigments, Biological; C019895:chorismate synthase; D019761:Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases