Competitive hybridization on spotted microarrays as a tool to conduct comparative genomic analyses of Xylella fastidiosa strains

Xylella fastidiosa strains are responsible for several plant diseases and since such isolates display a broad host range and complex biological behavior, genomic comparisons employing micro array hybridizations may provide an effective method to compare them. Thus, we performed a thorough validation of this type of approach using two recently sequenced strains of this phytopathogen. By matching microarray hybridization results to direct sequence comparisons, we were able to establish precise cutoff ratios for common and exclusive sequences, allowing the identification of exclusive genes involved in important biological traits. This validation will enable the use of microarray-based comparisons across a wide variety of microorganisms.