The complete genome sequence of Xanthomonas albilineans provides new insights into the reductive genome evolution of the xylem-limited Xanthomonadaceae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>Xanthomonadaceae </it>family contains two xylem-limited plant pathogenic bacterial species, <it>Xanthomonas albilineans </it>and <it>Xylella fastidiosa</it>. <it>X. fastidiosa </it>was the first completely sequenced plant pathogen. It is insect-vectored, has a reduced genome and does not possess <it>hrp </it>genes which encode a Type III secretion system found in most plant pathogenic bacteria. <it>X. fastidiosa </it>was excluded from the <it>Xanthomonas </it>group based on phylogenetic analyses with rRNA sequences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The complete genome of <it>X. albilineans </it>was sequenced and annotated. <it>X. albilineans</it>, which is not known to be insect-vectored, also has a reduced genome and does not possess <it>hrp </it>genes. Phylogenetic analysis using <it>X. albilineans </it>genomic sequences showed that <it>X. fastidiosa </it>belongs to the <it>Xanthomonas </it>group. Order of divergence of the <it>Xanthomonadaceae </it>revealed that <it>X. albilineans </it>and <it>X. fastidiosa </it>experienced a convergent reductive genome evolution during their descent from the progenitor of the <it>Xanthomonas </it>genus. Reductive genome evolutions of the two xylem-limited <it>Xanthomonadaceae </it>were compared in light of their genome characteristics and those of obligate animal symbionts and pathogens.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The two xylem-limited <it>Xanthomonadaceae</it>, during their descent from a common ancestral parent, experienced a convergent reductive genome evolution. Adaptation to the nutrient-poor xylem elements and to the cloistered environmental niche of xylem vessels probably favoured this convergent evolution. However, genome characteristics of <it>X. albilineans </it>differ from those of <it>X. fastidiosa </it>and obligate animal symbionts and pathogens, indicating that a distinctive process was responsible for the reductive genome evolution in this pathogen. The possible role in genome reduction of the unique toxin albicidin, produced by <it>X. albilineans</it>, is discussed.</p

Genome sequence of Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. fuscans strain 4834-R reveals that flagellar motility is not a general feature of xanthomonads

Abstract\ud \ud \ud \ud Background\ud Xanthomonads are plant-associated bacteria responsible for diseases on economically important crops. Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. fuscans (Xff) is one of the causal agents of common bacterial blight of bean. In this study, the complete genome sequence of strain Xff 4834-R was determined and compared to other Xanthomonas genome sequences.\ud \ud \ud \ud Results\ud Comparative genomics analyses revealed core characteristics shared between Xff 4834-R and other xanthomonads including chemotaxis elements, two-component systems, TonB-dependent transporters, secretion systems (from T1SS to T6SS) and multiple effectors. For instance a repertoire of 29 Type 3 Effectors (T3Es) with two Transcription Activator-Like Effectors was predicted. Mobile elements were associated with major modifications in the genome structure and gene content in comparison to other Xanthomonas genomes. Notably, a deletion of 33 kbp affects flagellum biosynthesis in Xff 4834-R. The presence of a complete flagellar cluster was assessed in a collection of more than 300 strains representing different species and pathovars of Xanthomonas. Five percent of the tested strains presented a deletion in the flagellar cluster and were non-motile. Moreover, half of the Xff strains isolated from the same epidemic than 4834-R was non-motile and this ratio was conserved in the strains colonizing the next bean seed generations.\ud \ud \ud \ud Conclusions\ud This work describes the first genome of a Xanthomonas strain pathogenic on bean and reports the existence of non-motile xanthomonads belonging to different species and pathovars. Isolation of such Xff variants from a natural epidemic may suggest that flagellar motility is not a key function for in planta fitness.AI is funded by a PhD grant from INRA-SPE and region Pays de la Loire, France. EG was funded by a PhD grant from the French Ministry of National Education and Research and French Guyana. SC, EG, MA, EL and LDN are funded by the LABEX TULIP (ANR-10-LABX-41), LSG is funded by ANR-2010-GENM-013 Xanthomix

Impact de la lumière sur la couche active des cellules photovoltaïques organiques

This work was devoted to the photochemical stability of the active layer of organic solar cells. The objective was to study the influence of active layer photodegradation on the device properties, so as to determine if the active layer stability limits or not the solar cells lifetime. The presented data deal with the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) / [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butanoic acid methyl ester (PC60BM) system. The P3HT photochemical behaviour was first investigated in presence and in absence of oxygen. Photochemical degradation of the polymer / fullerene blend was then studied, both on an inert substrate and inside the cell. In this latter case, we especially focused on two criteria: the active layer absorbance and the blend morphology. Finally, the effects of active layer photoageing on solar cells power conversion efficiency were examined.Ce travail a été consacré à l'étude de la stabilité photochimique de la couche active des cellules photovoltaïques organiques. L'objectif était d'étudier l'influence de la dégradation de la couche active sur les propriétés d'usage du dispositif, afin de déterminer si la durabilité de cette couche limite ou non la durée de vie des cellules. Les résultats exposés concernent le système poly(3-hexylthiophène) (P3HT) / [6-6]-phényl-C61-butanoate de méthyle (PC60BM). Le comportement photochimique du P3HT a tout d'abord été analysé en présence et en absence d'oxygène. La dégradation photochimique du mélange polymère/ fullerène a ensuite été étudiée sur substrat inerte puis au sein de la cellule. Dans ce second cas, deux critères ont retenu notre attention : l'évolution de l'absorption dans le visible et l'évolution de la morphologie de la couche active. Dans une dernière partie, l'effet du photovieillissement de la couche active sur le rendement de photoconversion des cellules a été mesuré

Impact de la lumière sur la couche active des cellules photovoltaïques organiques

Ce travail a été consacré à l'étude de la stabilité photochimique de la couche active des cellules photovoltaïques organiques. L'objectif était d'étudier l'influence de la dégradation de la couche active sur les propriétés d'usage du dispositif, afin de déterminer si la durabilité de cette couche limite ou non la durée de vie des cellules. Les résultats exposés concernent le système poly(3-hexylthiophène) (P3HT) / [6-6]-phényl-C61-butanoate de méthyle (PC60BM). Le comportement photochimique du P3HT a tout d'abord été analysé en présence et en absence d'oxygène. La dégradation photochimique du mélange polymère/ fullerène a ensuite été étudiée sur substrat inerte puis au sein de la cellule. Dans ce second cas, deux critères ont retenu notre attention : l'évolution de l'absorption dans le visible et l'évolution de la morphologie de la couche active. Dans une dernière partie, l'effet du photovieillissement de la couche active sur le rendement de photoconversion des cellules a été mesuréCLERMONT FD-BCIU Sci.et Tech. (630142101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Involvement of singlet oxygen in the solid state photochemistry of P3HT

International audienceWe studied the role that singlet oxygen plays in the solid-state photochemistry of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The photosensitized formation of singlet oxygen by solid-state P3HT and its subsequent reactivity on the polymer were investigated. Using a fluorescent probe, it was found that singlet oxygen (1O2) could be produced by irradiation of P3HT by photosensitization, with no oxidation of the polymer. In addition, 1O2 was directly formed on P3HT via a chemical reaction, again with no oxidation of the polymer. These results give strong evidence that 1O2 is not the principal photo-oxidative degradation intermediate of P3HT, which conflicts with previous reports

Challenges and opportunities for bismuth-based low-dimension halide perovskites

International audienc