Genomic comparison of the endophyte Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 and the phytopathogen Herbaspirillum rubrisubalbicans M1 by suppressive subtractive hybridization and partial genome sequencing

Abstract Herbaspirillum rubrisubalbicans M1 causes the mottled stripe disease in sugarcane cv. B-4362. Inoculation of this cultivar with Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 does not produce disease symptoms. A comparison of the genomic sequences of these closely related species may permit a better understanding of contrasting phenotype such as endophytic association and pathogenic life style. To achieve this goal, we constructed suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) libraries to identify DNA fragments present in one species and absent in the other. In a parallel approach, partial genomic sequence from H. rubrisubalbicans M1 was directly compared in silico with the H. seropedicae SmR1 genome. The genomic differences between the two organisms revealed by SSH suggested that lipopolysaccharide and adhesins are potential molecular factors involved in the different phenotypic behavior. The cluster wss probably involved in cellulose biosynthesis was found in H. rubrisubalbicans M1. Expression of this gene cluster was increased in H. rubrisubalbicans M1 cells attached to the surface of maize root, and knockout of wssD gene led to decrease in maize root surface attachment and endophytic colonization. The production of cellulose could be responsible for the maize attachment pattern of H. rubrisubalbicans M1 that is capable of outcompeting H. seropedicae SmR1.