Trophic preferences of the pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum and consequences on its growth in xylem sap

This study aimed to explore in-depth the xylem environment where the pathogen is abundant, and its trophic preferences. First, we determined the composition of tomato xylem sap, where fast multiplication of the pathogen occurs. Then, kinetic growth on single and mixtures of carbon sources in relation to this environment was performed to fully quantify growth. Finally, we calculated the concentration of available metabolites in the xylem sap flux to assess how much it can support bacterial growthin planta. Overall, the study underlines the adaptation ofR.  solanacearum to the xylem environment and the fact that the pathogen assimilates several substrates at the same time in media composed of several carbon sources. It also provides metrics on key physiological parameters governing the growth of this major pathogen, which will be instrumental in the future to better understand its metabolic behavior during infection.
Source: MicrobiologyOpen - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research