title: Draft genome sequences of three Xanthomonas translucens pathovar reference strains (pv. arrhenatheri, pv. poae and pv. phlei) with different specificities for forage grasses.
abstract: As causal agents of bacterial wilt in pastures and meadows, bacteria of the species Xanthomonas translucens are a serious issue in forage grass production. So far, only little is known about host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level and the lack of comprehensive genome data impeded targeted breeding strategies towards resistant forage grass cultivars. Here we announce the draft genome sequences of three grass-pathogenic Xanthomonas translucens pathotype strains, i.e. pv. arrhenatheri LMG 727, pv. poae LMG 728 and pv. phlei LMG 730 isolated from Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) P. Beauv. ex J. Presl & C. Presl (Switzerland), Poa trivialis L. (Switzerland) and Phleum pratense L. (Norway), respectively. The genomes of all three strains revealed a non-canonical type III secretion system and a set of 22 type III effectors as common virulence-related traits. Distinct inter-pathovar differences were observed for the lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis gene cluster and the presence of nonribosomal peptide synthetases.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Agroscope, Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hersemann
authors.affiliation: Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wibberg
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Agroscope, Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.affiliation: Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank-Jörg
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Vorhölter
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Agroscope, Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1959-0402
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kölliker
keywords: Bacterial wilt; Effector genes; LPS gene cluster; NRPS; Plant pathogen; hrp genes