Selective inhibition of Erwinia amylovora by the herbicidally active germinationâarrest factor (GAF) produced by Pseudomonas bacteria

Halgren, A.; Azevedo, M.; Mills, D.; Armstrong, D.; Timmayya, Em.; McPhail, K.; Banowetz, G.

Selective inhibition of Erwinia amylovora by the herbicidally active germinationâarrest factor (GAF) produced by Pseudomonas bacteria

2011

Aims: The germinationâarrest factor (GAF) produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens WH6, and identified as 4âformylaminooxyvinylglycine, specifically inhibits the germination of a wide range of grassy weeds. This study was undertaken to determine whether GAF has antimicrobial activity in addition to its inhibitory effects on grass seed germination. Methods and Results: Culture filtrate from Ps.Â fluorescens WH6 had little or no effect on 17 species of bacteria grown in Petri dish lawns, but the in vitro growth of Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of the disease of orchard crops known as fire blight, was strongly inhibited by the filtrate. The antiâErwinia activity of WH6 culture filtrate was shown to be due to its GAF content, and a commercially available oxyvinylglycine, 4âaminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), exhibited antiâErwinia activity similar to that of GAF. The effects of GAF on Erwinia were reversed by particular amino acids. Conclusions: The biological properties of GAF include a rather specific antimicrobial activity against Erw.Â amylovora. This may be a general property of oxyvinylglycines as AVG exhibited similar activity. The ability of particular amino acids to reverse GAF inhibition is consistent with a potential effect of this compound on the activity of aminotransferases. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results presented here demonstrate a novel antimicrobial activity of oxyvinylglycines and suggest that GAF and/or GAFâproducing bacteria may have potential for the control of fire blight.

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