Characterization of the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae pathovar ribicola NCPPB 963

In 1939, a bacterial spot caused severe defoliation of Ribes aureum (Golden Currant) The causal agent is now recognized as Pseudomonas syringae pathovar ribicola. This communication extends the phenotype of the only identified strain of P. syringae pv. ribicola, which is reminiscent of those of other pathovars, and provides a molecular biological characterization. A minimum size of 5.55 Mb for the bacterial genome was obtained using pulsed-field electrophoresis. The SDS-PAGE outer-membrane profile contained seven major bands, and has obvious similarities to that of P. aeruginosa. SDS-PAGE of concentrated mid-log phase culture supernatants revealed large amounts of a single, cryptic 24.0 kD protein. The amino acid composition and 57 residues in the N-terminus of this protein. were determined. The protein sequence was nearly identical to the translation of a region of unknown function in the P. aeruginosa genome. Extensive similarity in N-terminal sequence, composition and subunit size to a secreted hydrophilic Vibrio cholerae protein of unknown function was also found. Neither protein has been directly associated with disease development.