Bois noir (BN) is an insect-transmitted grapevine yellows disease caused by phytoplasmas belonging to the stolbur subgroup 16SrXII-A. In Italy, increasing prevalence of stolbur phytoplasma strains in vineyards suggests progressive spread of the disease and potential for heavy impacts on the wine industry. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of stolbur phytoplasma strains in BN ...

In January 2012, spreading type petunia cv. Wave Pink plants showing an abnormal growth habit of sprouting unusual multiple plantlets from the lateral buds were collected from a greenhouse in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The presence of phytoplasma was investigated using PCR with the primer pairs P1/P6, and R16F1/R1 for nested-PCR. In the nested PCR, 1,096 bp PCR products were obtained, ...

Maize redness (MR), induced by stolbur phytoplasma ('Candidatus Phytoplasma solani', subgroup 16SrXII-A), is characterized by midrib, leaf, and stalk reddening and abnormal ear development. MR has been reported from Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria for 50 years, and recent epiphytotics reduced yields by 40 to 90% in South Banat District, Serbia. Potential vectors including leafhoppers and planthop...

From a hybridoma cell line (2A10) producing an immunoglobulin G1 directed against the major membrane protein of the stolbur phytoplasma, we have engineered scFv (single-chain variable-fragment) antibodies from the variable heavy (VH) and light (VL) domains of the immunoglobulin. The scFv gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The expressed protein of 30 kDa could be recovered from t...

In this study we investigated the influence of kinetin (6-furfurylaminopurine) on stolbur infected tomato plants. By using electron microscopy we analysed the starch accumula­ tion and the thylakoid membranes in the chloroplast and we quantified the photosynthetic pigments by spectrophoto­ metry. Consideration was also given to the growth and ge­ neral appearance of the plants. We proved that i...

Strawberry plants exhibiting symptoms of stunting and abnormally small leaves were observed in production fields in central Florida, USA. Since the symptoms were suggestive of phytoplasma infection, plants were assayed for presence of phytoplasma by PCR amplification of 16S rDNA and ribosomal protein (rp) gene sequences. Amplification of phytoplasma-specific DNA sequences by PCR indicated infec...

Phytoplasma-associated diseases are reported for more than 1,000 plant species worldwide. Only a few genome sequences are available in contrast to the economical importance of these bacterial pathogens. A new strategy was used to retrieve phytoplasma strain-specific genome data. Multiple displacement amplification was performed on DNA obtained from <3 g of plant tissue from tobacco and parsley ...

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most financially important vegetable crops. It a species belonging to Solanaceae family and cultivated in many countries, including Turkey. The natural presence ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (‘Ca. P. solani’) from Stolbur group (16SrXII) tomato plants extensively characterized based on 16S rRNA gene worldwide. displaying abnormality sterility flower...

ABSTRACT Marginal chlorosis has affected strawberry production in France for about 15 years. A phloem-restricted uncultured bacterium, "Candidatus Phlomobacter fragariae," is associated with the disease. A large-scale survey for marginal chlorosis in French strawberry production fields and nurseries by polymerase chain reaction amplification of "Ca. P. fragariae" 16S rDNA revealed that symptoms...