Application of high-throughput genome sequencing to intrapathovar variation in Pseudomonas syringae

One reason for the success of Pseudomonas syringae as a model pathogen has been the availability of three complete genome sequences since 2005. Now, at the beginning of 2011, more than 25 strains of P. syringae have been sequenced and many more will soon be released. To date, published analyses of P. syringae have been largely descriptive, focusing on catalogues of genetic differences among strains and between species. Numerous powerful statistical tools are now available that have yet to be applied to P. syringae genomic data for robust and quantitative reconstruction of evolutionary events. The aim of this review is to provide a snapshot of the current status of P. syringae genome sequence data resources, including very recent and unpublished studies, and thereby demonstrate the richness of resources available for this species. Furthermore, certain specific opportunities and challenges in making the best use of these data resources are highlighted.