Publications

4786

ABSTRACT X‐disease, caused by strains in the 16SrIII‐A subgroup of ‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’, is a devastating disease of Prunus species (stone fruits). Multiple outbreaks of this disease have occurred across much of North America for more than a century, with the most recent one beginning around 2010 in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, causing severe damage to the stone fruit industry. Sensitive and specific detection of X‐disease is critical to prevent the propagation and spread of infected plant material; however, current PCR‐based detection workflows lack specificity to X‐disease and require one or more PCR assays followed by additional testing to confirm the species identity. In this study, two real‐time PCR assays, one targeting the secY gene and the other targeting the tuf gene, were developed for specific detection of X‐disease in stone fruits. The CPH‐TXD assay targeting the tuf gene provided high‐sensitivity target detection of as few as five target copies with significantly reduced cross‐reactivity compared to current methods. The CPH‐SXD assay targeting the secY gene detected a minimum of 30 target copies and showed no cross‐reaction with closely related strains. The repeatability and reproducibility of both assays were verified with acceptable results. Together, these assays provide efficient and high‐specificity detection methods to combat the growing threat of X‐disease in North America.

Abstract Dermatophilaceae polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), formerly classified as Tetrasphaera PAOs, play pivotal roles in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). However, their phylogenetic diversity, ecological preferences, and metabolic traits remain poorly characterized, and a robust marker gene for their classification is lacking. Here, we performed an extensive phylogenomic and metabolic analysis of Dermatophilaceae PAOs utilizing 46 newly recovered metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from a laboratory-scale EBPR reactor treating high-strength wastewater and full-scale wastewater treatment plants. These analyses revealed a previously uncharacterized PAO genus, named Candidatus Dermatophostum, which is adapted to high-phosphorus environments. Its representative species, Ca. D. ammonifactor, was enriched in the EBPR reactor and its PAO phenotype was confirmed by polyphosphate staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Genomic, transcriptomic, and protein structure analyses revealed its specialized metabolic capabilities for phosphate metabolism, glycogen synthesis and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium. Moreover, Ca. Dermatophostum was found to be widely distributed across WWPTs worldwide, underscoring both its ecological importance and its potential role in mitigating nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions. Finally, we propose a ppk1 -based classification framework that resolves Dermatophilaceae PAOs into six distinct clades, consistent with whole-genome phylogeny, and demonstrates that ppk1 can serve as a reliable marker gene for tracking these populations. Together, these findings expand the ecological and functional understanding of Dermatophilaceae PAOs and highlight their promise for advancing sustainable wastewater treatment and resource recovery.

From August to November 2023, a disease outbreak occurred in a research colony of 33 mixed-sex, five-month-old central bearded dragons obtained from a private breeder in the USA. Clinical presentation consisted primarily of dehydration, lethargy, inappetence, weight loss, neck extension, sporadic open mouth breathing indicating dyspnea, and sudden death. A total of six deaths occurred during this period. Pathological investigation followed by molecular diagnostics and whole-genome sequencing revealed Mycoplasma pogonae as the cause of disease. Pneumonia (5/6) was diagnosed from necropsy. Types of pneumonia included histiocytic (1/5), combined histiocytic and lymphocytic (2/5), histiocytic and granulocytic (1/5), and heterophilic pneumonia (1/5). Our results confirmed that M. pogonae infection is associated with sudden mortality in a colony of captive central bearded dragons in the USA and that M. pogonae has a potential pathogenic role as a primary infectious agent.