Characterization of pUCD5000 involved in pink disease color formation by Pantoea citrea

Pantoea citrea, the causal agent of pink disease of pineapple, harbors a cryptic plasmid of 5229 bp. designated pUCD5000. On the basis of nucleotide and amino acid sequence analyses, pUCD5000 contains both replication and mobilization loci (bom and mobCABD) that are similar to those in plasmids pSW100 and pSW200 in Pantoea stewartii and pEC3 in Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora. The survival of P. citrea on pineapple does not depend on pUCD5000. However, full pink coloration development, which is characteristic of the pink disease, appears to require this plasmid.