Title Diversity of Endophytic Enterobacteria Associated with Different Host Plants
Author Adalgisa Ribeiro Torres1, Welington Luiz Araujo1,2*, Luciana Cursino1, Mariangela Hungria3, Fabio Plotegher3, Fabio Luis Mostasso3, and Joao Lucio Azevedo1,2
Address 1Genetics Department, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba, SP, Av. Padua Dias, 11, P. O. Box 83, 13400-970, Brazil, 2Laboratory of Microbial Genetics, NIB, University of Mogi das Cruzes, SP, Brazil, 3Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation -Embrapa Soybean, Londrina, PR, Brazil
Bibliography Journal of Microbiology, 46(4),373-379, 2008,
DOI
Key Words endophytes, BOX-PCR, diversity, cellulase production, antibiotic susceptibility
Abstract Fifty-three endophytic enterobacteria isolates from citrus, cocoa, eucalyptus, soybean, and sugar cane were evaluated for susceptibility to the antibiotics ampicillin and kanamycin, and cellulase production. Susceptibility was found on both tested antibiotics. However, in the case of ampicillin susceptibility changed according to the host plant, while all isolates were susceptible to kanamycin. Cellulase production also changed according to host plants. The diversity of these isolates was estimated by employing BOX-PCR genomic fingerprints and 16S rDNA sequencing. In total, twenty-three distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified by employing a criterion of 60% fingerprint similarity as a surrogate for an OTU. The 23 OTUs belong to the Pantoea and Enterobacter genera, while their high diversity could be an indication of paraphyletic classification. Isolates representing nine different OTUs belong to Pantoea agglomerans, P. ananatis, P. stewartii, Enterobacter sp., and E. homaechei. The results of this study suggest that plant species may select endophytic bacterial genotypes. It has also become apparent that a review of the Pantoea/Enterobacter genera may be necessary.