Xylella fastidiosa is a fastidious, xylem-limited bacterium that causes a range of economically important plant diseases. Here we report the complete genome sequence of X. fastidiosa clone 9a5c, which causes citrus variegated chlorosis--a serious disease of orange trees. The genome comprises a 52.7% GC-rich 2,679,305-base-pair (bp) circular chromosome and two plasmids of 51,158 bp and 1,285 bp. We can assign putative functions to 47% of the 2,904 predicted coding regions. Efficient metabolic functions are predicted, with sugars as the principal energy and carbon source, supporting existence in the nutrient-poor xylem sap. The mechanisms associated with pathogenicity and virulence involve toxins, antibiotics and ion sequestration systems, as well as bacterium-bacterium and bacterium-host interactions mediated by a range of proteins. Orthologues of some of these proteins have only been identified in animal and human pathogens; their presence in X. fastidiosa indicates that the molecular basis for bacterial pathogenicity is both conserved and independent of host. At least 83 genes are bacteriophage-derived and include virulence-associated genes from other bacteria, providing direct evidence of phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Poly(9-vinyladenine) was synthesized and utilized as an affinity macroligand entrapped within the gel matrix. Base-specific separation of oligodeoxynucleotides was achieved with high resolution and high speed by electrophoresis, using capillaries filled with conjugated polyacrylamide-poly(9-vinyladenine) gel. Oligothymidylic acids were selectively separated from the mixture of oligothymidylic and oligodeoxyadenylic acids by utilizing a specific hydrogen bonding between poly(9-vinyladenine) and oligothymidylic acids. Migration time and resolution of oligodeoxynucleotides were influenced by several parameters, such as the size of poly(9-vinyladenine), capillary temperature, and concentrations of poly(9-vinyladenine) and urea. Some guidelines are presented, based on the theoretical formulation of the effect of these parameters, in order to find optimum electrophoretic conditions. Analytical capillary affinity gel electrophoresis was developed for the selective and sensitive base recognition of oligodeoxynucleotides with efficiencies as high as several 10(6) plates/m by using a urea-gel capillary with poly(9-vinyladenine) and temperature-programming.