A New Strain of Streptomyces Causing Common Scab in Potato

Common scab is a serious disease of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) and other root and tuber crops, affecting the quality and market value of these crops. The disease is caused by gram-positive soil bacteria in the genus Streptomyces. A new common scab-causing streptomycete was isolated from scabby potatoes originating in southeastern Idaho. Research has supported a model of horizontal transfer of pathogenicity determinants among streptomycetes, and the new strain has hallmarks of the recently characterized Streptomyces pathogenicity island (PAI); it has genes encoding the synthetase for the pathogenicity determinant thaxtomin and for a second pathogenicity factor, tomatinase, although it lacks a third gene characteristic of the Streptomyces PAI, the nec1 gene. The new strain has a unique 16s rDNA gene sequence closely related to those of other pathogenic Streptomyces species. This 16s rDNA sequence was also found in isolates lacking a PAI, suggesting that the new pathogenic strain arose by horizontal transfer of a PAI into a saprophytic streptomycete. Isolates of the new strain are pathogenic on radish and potato, and are more virulent than the S. scabies type strain. In addition to scab lesions on potato tubers, lesions were also seen on underground stems and stolons. This new strain represents additional complexity in the pathogenic strains causing plant disease in the United States.