Publications

4848

“Candidatus Sarcina troglodytae” (“Ca. S. troglodytae”), a proposed bacterial species in the family Clostridiaceae, has been epidemiologically associated with a lethal disease in sanctuary chimpanzees in Sierra Leone, epizootic neurologic and gastroenteric syndrome (ENGS). As sarcinae are known to be difficult to culture, a lack of viable in vitro growth conditions has limited further characterization of this bacterium. Such studies are critical to elucidating the relationship between “Ca. S. troglodytae” and ENGS.  Here, we isolate a Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming, coccus and anaerobic bacterial strain, designated JB3T, from brain tissue of a western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) using a reinforced clostridial medium. We describe the growth of strain JB3T at a pH range of 6 to 9 (optimum 6) at 37°C in an atmosphere composed of 5% H2, 5% CO2, and 90% N2 and demonstrate endospore production under alkaline conditions, suggesting the possibility of an environmental reservoir. We identify ethanol as the primary non-gaseous fermentation byproduct which we hypothesize to have relevance for ENGS. Antibiotic susceptibility testing shows susceptibility to common antimicrobial agents with notable resistance to ceftriaxone. By establishing in vitro conditions for the viable culture, propagation, and storage of “Ca. S. troglodytae”, this study lays the groundwork for future infection studies to test hypotheses about pathogenic mechanisms and prevention/treatment measures for ENGS.

Candidatus (Ca.) Allocryptoplasma is a newly identified, genetically diverse genus of vector-borne bacteria closely related to established blood-borne zoonotic pathogens, including Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Neoehrlichia species. Ca. Allocryptoplasma is a globally distributed pathogen detected across taxonomically diverse tick species and varied ecological niches. It maintains a complex enzootic circulation involving multiple vertebrate classes, including birds, small mammals, primates, and particularly reptiles, which serve as reservoir hosts. Methods: To characterize this emerging agent, multi-locus genetic DNA sequence analyses using the maximum likelihood method were performed on 16S rRNA, sucA, and rpoB genes amplified from the blood and vectors of marine iguanas and lizard species sampled across multiple islands in the Galápagos archipelago. Results: The compiled genomic data demonstrate that the Ca. Allocryptoplasma detected in the Galápagos lizards and marine iguanas represents a distinct lineage and a novel Ca. Allocryptoplasma species. Conclusions: Given its broad host plasticity, widespread geographic footprint, and vector-mediated transmission, the potential of Ca. Allocryptoplasma as a hidden, emerging zoonotic blood pathogen warrants intensive further evaluation.

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of eradicating HLB-symptomatic trees in reducing the spread of CLas. Materials and methods. The study was conducted from January to December 2019 in three phytosanitary epidemiological management areas (AMEFIs in Spanish) located in the municipalities of Güémez, Hidalgo, Llera de Canales, and Padilla, in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. In each AMEFI, a post-eradication sampling route was established around a tree confirmed to be symptomatic of CLas via q-PCR. Sampling sites were defined at distances of 6.7 km (S1), 13.4 km (S2), and 20.1 km (S3) from the eradicated tree, where leaf samples were randomly collected from asymptomatic trees to determine the presence or absence of CLas. The data were analyzed using chi-square tests to compare the frequency of positive and negative trees among AMEFIs and sampling sites. Results. The frequency of asymptomatic trees that were positive and negative for CLas differed significantly among the evaluated AMEFIs; at the site level, only AMEFI 3 showed significant differences. Conclusion. The eradication of trees with HLB symptoms was not sufficient to prevent the persistence of CLas, as asymptomatic infected trees were detected after the removal of symptomatic trees.

Introduction Huanglongbing (HLB) is a devastating disease impacting citrus orchards worldwide. Identifying candidate genes and/or genomic regions that significantly influence plants' response to HLB is essential for breeding programs. Nevertheless, this remains a challenge, especially during the early stages of the citrus-pathogen interaction, when phenotypically distinguishing tolerant genotypes is not trivial. This work focused on identifying genomic regions and candidate genes associated with citrus response to Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus ( C Las). Methods Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was performed in a citrandarin population (278 individuals) derived from a fullsib cross between susceptible Citrus sunki (CS) and tolerant Poncirus trifoliata (PT). The mapping population was genotyped using DArTseq markers and the SNPs obtained from them (DArTseq-derived SNPs), as well as the EMBRAPA Multispecies 65K Illumina Infinium® chip. Phenotyping was based on four individual trials (two in a greenhouse and two in field conditions). QTL mapping was based on composite interval mapping implemented in the fullsibQTL software, with the cycle threshold (Ct) of quantitative PCR (qPCR) as the trait of interest for assessing C Las quantification in infected tissues, which can be evaluated in plants at any developmental stage. The biological function of QTLs was investigated by gene annotation using the chromosome-level phased Citrus sinensis genome (assembly DVS_A1.0) as the reference. The candidate genes were functionally annotated using Blast2Go software. Results A predominance of markers in a 1:1 ratio was observed, resulting in two maps, one for each parent. The linkage map had 5464 cM (1872 markers) for CS and 4794 cM (1340 markers) for PT. A total of 44 QTLs were mapped: 25 for the CS map (13 for field and 12 for greenhouse conditions), of which 17 were located at gene sites; and 19 were mapped for the PT (nine for field and 10 for greenhouse conditions), of which 16 were located at gene sites. Discussion Several genes associated with the identified QTLs are involved in stress responses, making them potential targets for further functional validation. These genomic regions and candidate genes provide valuable targets for future incorporation into citrus breeding programs aimed at developing HLB tolerance.

Little ironweed (Cyanthillium cinereum; syn. Vernonia cinerea) is an herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family (Trang et al. 2024). The plant is distributed in Asia, Australia and Africa, and has been used as a traditional medicine (Trang et al. 2024). In January 2026, little ironweed plants exhibiting phyllody symptoms (Fig. S1) were observed in a grass-covered area (measuring 3 m × 6 m) in Qishan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Around 8% (22/285 plants) of the population showed symptoms. Six symptomatic and four asymptomatic plants were collected. Flower-like tissues from symptomatic plants were collected for DNA extraction with a Synergy 2.0 Plant DNA Extraction Kit (OPS Diagnostics). For asymptomatic plants, capitula were used instead. One DNA sample was extracted for each plant. The samples were first tested with primers specific to the plant’s 26S rDNA (28KJ/28C; Cullings 1992), and all of them produced the target amplicon (~0.69 kb), indicating sufficient quality for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nested PCR targeting phytoplasmas’ 16S rDNA was conducted with outer and inner primer pairs P1/P7 and fU5/rU3 (Lorenz et al. 1995). In all PCR assays, negative controls (nuclease-free water) were included. All samples from symptomatic plants amplified the outer and inner amplicons (~1.81 kb and ~0.88 kb), whereas DNA from the asymptomatic plants did not. After assembling sequences of the outer and inner fragments for each symptomatic sample, identical 16S rDNA sequences were found. A representative sequence was deposited in GenBank (1,459 bp; accession no. PZ193724), and BLASTn search against GenBank revealed that it was identical to that of a reference phytoplasma strain belonging to subgroup 16SrII-A (NCHU2014; accession no. CP040925; 100% identity, 100% query coverage; Rodrigues Jardim et al. 2023). A 1,248-bp fragment within the obtained sequence was further analyzed using iPhyClassifier (https://plantpathology.ba.ars.usda.gov/cgi-bin/resource/iphyclassifier.cgi), and its virtual RFLP pattern was the same as 16SrII-A’s reference pattern (similarity coefficient = 1.00; accession no. L33765). The detected phytoplasma’s identity was further confirmed by amplification and sequencing of the elongation factor Tu (tuf) and protein translocase (secY) genes. Fragments containing tuf and secY were respectively amplified by primer sets TUF-II-F1/TUF-II-F2/TUF-II-R1 (for semi-nested PCR; Al-Subhi et al. 2017) and SecYF1(II)/SecYR1(II) (for PCR; Lee et al. 2010). The tuf sequences were obtained from the inner amplicon, whereas sequences of secY were obtained by sequencing followed by primer walking (accession nos. PZ377067 and PZ377068). The detected phytoplasma and the reference strain NCHU2014 (‘Ca. Phytoplasma australasiaticum’-related strain; 16SrII-A; accession no. CP040925) shared identical sequences for both tuf (986 bp; partial) and secY (1,263 bp; complete) fragments. This is the first report of little ironweed infected by a 16SrII-A phytoplasma in Taiwan; this specific host-pathogen association has only been reported in Hainan Province of China (Yu et al. 2024). Because 16SrII-A phytoplasma can infect economic crops in Taiwan (Wu et al. 2026) and little ironweed is widely distributed in the island, it is possible that the weed may represent a potential reservoir host. Thus, monitoring and eradication of symptomatic little ironweed is advisable in crop production areas.

ABSTRACT We present the complete de novo assembly of a Candidatus Walczuchella monophlebidarum genome (286,606 bp), a flavobacterial endosymbiont of the giant-scale insect Icerya purchasi . The genome was assembled from metagenomic short read Illumina sequences obtained from DNA of citrus leaves collected in Carinthia, Austria in November 2024.

Pear decline, associated to ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri’, has emerged in Chilean pear orchards in recent years. While several Cacopsylla species are potential vectors of ‘Ca. P. pyri’, the disease’s full epidemiological cycle remains uncertain. Cacopsylla bidens, present in Chilean orchards, has recently been reported as a vector. This study conducted year-long surveys in two commercial pear orchards across different Chilean regions, capturing C. bidens in zones with ‘Ca. P. pyri’-infected pear trees. All developmental stages were collected, with peak abundances occurring in March and April. Outside the study zones, C. bidens were found in pine trees but not in adjacent cultivated areas. Two seasonal morphotypes, summer and winter forms, were identified. Molecular analysis detected ‘Ca. P. pyri’ in a high proportion of insects, with maximum infection rates in March and April. These findings advance our understanding of ‘Ca. P. pyri’ spatial and temporal dynamics and their potential role in ‘Ca. P. pyri’ spreading under Chilean field conditions.