Mitigation of almond leaf scorch by a peptide that inhibits the motility of Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited plant pathogenic bacterium that is a menace to the agriculture worldwide threating economically relevant crops such as almond. The pathogen presents a dual lifestyle in the plant xylem, consisting of sessile microbial aggregates and mobile independent cells that...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Moll, Lluís, Badosa Romañó, Esther, Fuente, Leonardo de la, Montesinos Seguí, Emilio, Planas i Grabuleda, Marta, Bonaterra i Carreras, Anna, Feliu Soley, Lidia
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10256/26255
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10256/26255
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Bacteris fitopatògens
Phytopatogenic bacteria
Antibiòtics pèptids
Peptide antibiotics
Plantes -- Malalties bacterianes
Bacterial diseases of plants
Phytopathogenic bacteria
Descripción
Sumario:Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited plant pathogenic bacterium that is a menace to the agriculture worldwide threating economically relevant crops such as almond. The pathogen presents a dual lifestyle in the plant xylem, consisting of sessile microbial aggregates and mobile independent cells that move by twitching motility. The latter is essential for the systemic colonization of the host and is mediated through type IV pili. In previous reports, it has been demonstrated that peptides can affect different key processes of X. fastidiosa, but their effect on motility has never been assessed. In the present work, peptides previously identified and newly designed analogs were studied for its effect in vitro on the motility of X. fastidiosa and their protective effect against almond leaf scorch was determined. By assessing the twitching fringe width in colonies and using microfluidic chambers, the inhibitory effect of BP100 on twitching motility was demonstrated. Interestingly, type IV pili of BP100-treated cells were similar in frequency and length, and presented no morphological differences when compared to the non-treated control. The application of BP100 by endotherapy in almond plants inoculated with X. fastidiosa under greenhouse conditions significantly reduced population levels and showed less affected xylem vessels, which correlated with decreased disease symptoms. Therefore, BP100 is a promising candidate to manage almond leaf scorch caused by X. fastidiosa