Ω- produced in K-p reactions at 4.2 GeV/c

Forty Ω- events have been observed in a large (133 events/βb) experiment at 4.2 GeV/c incident K- momentum. Thirty nine of the events come from the three-body reaction K-p→Ω-K+K0. The Ω- is mainly produced in the forward hemisphere (direction of the incident K-). The lifetime is measured to be τ = (0.75 +0.14-0.11 × 10-10 sec substantially less than the Particle Data Group value of (1.3 -0.3+0.2) × 10-10 sec. The mass is determined to be 1671.7 ± 0.6 MeV, in good agreement with other determinations. The decay asymmetry parameter α (for the decay mode Ω- → ΛK-) is found to be -0.2 ± 0.4. © 1978

Insect pathogenicity in plant-beneficial pseudomonads: phylogenetic distribution and comparative genomics.

Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas occupy diverse environments. The Pseudomonas fluorescens group is particularly well-known for its plant-beneficial properties including pathogen suppression. Recent observations that some strains of this group also cause lethal infections in insect larvae, however, point to a more versatile ecology of these bacteria. We show that 26 P. fluorescens group strains, isolated from three continents and covering three phylogenetically distinct sub-clades, exhibited different activities toward lepidopteran larvae, ranging from lethal to avirulent. All strains of sub-clade 1, which includes Pseudomonas chlororaphis and Pseudomonas protegens, were highly insecticidal regardless of their origin (animals, plants). Comparative genomics revealed that strains in this sub-clade possess specific traits allowing a switch between plant- and insect-associated lifestyles. We identified 90 genes unique to all highly insecticidal strains (sub-clade 1) and 117 genes common to all strains of sub-clade 1 and present in some moderately insecticidal strains of sub-clade 3. Mutational analysis of selected genes revealed the importance of chitinase C and phospholipase C in insect pathogenicity. The study provides insight into the genetic basis and phylogenetic distribution of traits defining insecticidal activity in plant-beneficial pseudomonads. Strains with potent dual activity against plant pathogens and herbivorous insects have great potential for use in integrated pest management for crops