Regulation of eight avr genes by hrpG and hrpX in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris and their role in pathogenicity.

Eight putative avirulence genes in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) strain 8004 were characterized by Tn5gusA5 mutagenesis and gene expression analysis. The virulence test of mutants on Chinese radish showed that all mutants in individual avr genes except avrBs2 mutant were not significantly different from the wild type in virulence. The avrBs2 mutant showed reduced virulence and bacterial growth in planta. Gene expression analysis using β-glucuronidase as reporter indicated that avrBs1 . 1, avrBs1 avrXccB, avrXccC, avrXccE1 were regulated by hrpG, whereas avrXccA1, avrXccA2 and avrBs2 were not. RT-PCR analysis showed that all hrpG-regulated genes except avrBs1 were also regulated by hrpX. In addition, it was demonstrated that avrBs1 was responsible for elicitation of a type III dependent hypersensitive reaction (HR) on nonhost plant pepper ECW-10R, and wild type Xcc 8004 was unable to cause HR on pepper ECW-20R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]