title: Erwinia gerundensissp. nov., a cosmopolitan epiphyte originally isolated from pome fruit trees.
abstract: A survey to obtain potential antagonists of pome fruit tree diseases yielded two yellow epiphytic bacterial isolates morphologically similar toPantoea agglomerans, but showing no biocontrol activity. Whole-cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and analysis of 16S rRNA gene andgyrBsequences suggested the possibility of a novel species with a phylogenetic position in either the genusPantoeaor the genusErwinia. Multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) placed the two strains in the genusErwiniaand supported their classification as a novel species. The strains showed general phenotypic characteristics typical of this genus and results of DNA-DNA hybridizations confirmed that they represent a single novel species. Both strains showed a DNA G+C content, as determined by HPLC, of 54.5 mol% and could be discriminated from phylogenetically related species of the genusErwiniaby their ability to utilize potassium gluconate, potassium 2-ketogluconate, maltose, melibiose and raffinose. Whole-genome sequencing of strain EM595Trevealed the presence of a chromosomal carotenoid biosynthesis gene cluster similar to those found in species of the generaCronobacterandPantoeathat explains the pigmentation of the strain, which is atypical for the genusErwinia. Additional strains belonging to the same species were recovered from different plant hosts in three different continents, revealing the cosmopolitan nature of this epiphyte. The nameErwinia gerundensissp. nov. is proposed, with EM595T( = LMG 28990T= CCOS 903T) as the designated type strain.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Research Group, Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.|Department of Plant Protection and Extension Fruits and Vegetables, Institute for Plant Production Sciences, Agroscope, CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rezzonico
authors.affiliation: Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Research Group, Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.|Department of Plant Protection and Extension Fruits and Vegetables, Institute for Plant Production Sciences, Agroscope, CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Theo H M
authors.initials: THM
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Protection and Extension Fruits and Vegetables, Institute for Plant Production Sciences, Agroscope, CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Born
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität, D-35390 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blom
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostics and Risk Assessment Plant Protection, Institute for Plant Production Sciences, Agroscope, CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jürg E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität, D-35390 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goesmann
authors.affiliation: BCCM/LMG Bacteria Collection, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cleenwerck
authors.affiliation: BCCM/LMG Bacteria Collection, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology-CIDSAV-XaRTA, University of Girona, E-17071 Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonaterra
authors.affiliation: Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Research Group, Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.|Department of Plant Protection and Extension Fruits and Vegetables, Institute for Plant Production Sciences, Agroscope, CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Brion
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology-CIDSAV-XaRTA, University of Girona, E-17071 Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montesinos