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POSTERS: Bacteriology I

P-031 - Comparative genomics and phenotypic analysis of Pectobacterium brasiliense strains isolated from various hosts in Hawai’i

Monday, August 4, 2025
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM HST
Location: Exhibit Hall 3
Abstract Text: Pectobacterium brasiliense has a significant economic impact on agriculture worldwide, causing blackleg, soft rot, and aerial stem rot across diverse hosts and environments. This study investigates genomic diversity and virulence factors across eleven P. brasiliense strains from potato, kale, pak choi, mizuna, radish, and water sources, aiming to identify host-specific adaptations. Methods involve hybrid assembly of the genomes using sequencing by Oxford Nanopore MinION and Illumina NovaSeq, with annotations via NCBI. Genomic comparisons focus on virulence factors and phylogeny using digital DNA-DNA hybridization and Average Nucleotide Identity. Phenotypic assays include swimming/swarming motility, pectolytic activity on crystal violet pectate media, BIOLOG GEN III metabolic profiling, host maceration quantitation, and cross-inoculations. Results showed host-linked variations. Phenotypic assays revealed reduced motility in kale isolates vs. high motility in strains isolated from pak choi, broader carbon substrate utilization by kale strains, and greater chemical tolerance in pak choi strains. Maceration assays demonstrated variance in tissue degradation among hosts. These findings advance our understanding of the strain diversity and adaptive mechanisms of P. brasiliense across different hosts, providing insights for targeted disease management strategies. By analyzing genomic and phenotypic characteristics, this research supports the development of tailored, host-specific approaches to reduce the impact of this pathogen in agricultural systems.