A novel phytopathogen Erwinia sorbitola sp. nov., isolated from the feces of ruddy shelducks

The species in the genus Erwinia are Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, and rod-shaped. Most species in the genus Erwinia are phytopathogens. Also, Erwinia persicina was involved in several human infections. Based on the reverse microbial etiology principles, it is worth analyzing the pathogenicity of species in this genus. In this study, we isolated and sequenced two species of Erwinia. Phylogenetic, phenotypic, biochemical, and chemotaxonomic analyses were performed to identify its taxonomy position. The virulence tests on plant leaves and pear fruits were used to identify the plant pathogenicity of two species of Erwinia. Bioinformatic methods predicted the possible pathogenic determinants based on the genome sequence. Meanwhile, adhesion, invasion, and cytotoxicity assays on RAW 264.7 cells were applied to identify animal pathogenicity. We isolated two Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, and rod-shaped strains from the feces of ruddy shelducks in the Tibet Plateau of China, designated J780T and J316. Distinct phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic, biochemical, and chemotaxonomic characters of J780T and J316 identified they were novel species and belonged to the genus Erwinia, for which the name Erwinia sorbitola sp. nov. was proposed, the type strain was J780T (= CGMCC 1.17334T = GDMCC 1.1666T = JCM 33839T). Virulence tests showed blight and rot on the leaves and pear fruits confirmed Erwinia sorbitola sp. nov. was a phytopathogen. Predicted gene clusters of motility, biofilm formation, exopolysaccharides, stress survival, siderophores, and Type VI secretion system might be the causes of pathogenicity. In addition, predicted polysaccharide biosynthesis gene clusters on the genome sequence, and the high capacity for adhesion, invasion, and cytotoxicity to animal cells confirmed it has pathogenicity on animals. In conclusion, we isolated and identified a novel phytopathogen Erwinia sorbitola sp. nov. in ruddy shelducks. A predefined pathogen is beneficial for preventing from suffering potential economic losses caused by this new pathogen.