Bacteriocins targeting Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria: plantibiotics of the future

Rooney, W. M. , Chai, R., Milner, J. L. and Walker, D. (2020) Bacteriocins targeting Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria: plantibiotics of the future. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 575981. (doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.575981) (PMCID:PMC7530242)

Abstract

Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria are a significant threat to food crops. These microbial invaders are responsible for a plethora of plant diseases and can be responsible for devastating losses in crops such as tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, olives, and rice. Current disease management strategies to mitigate yield losses involve the application of chemicals which are often harmful to both human health and the environment. Bacteriocins are small proteinaceous antibiotics produced by bacteria to kill closely related bacteria and thereby establish dominance within a niche. They potentially represent a safer alternative to chemicals when used in the field. Bacteriocins typically show a high degree of selectivity toward their targets with no off-target effects. This review outlines the current state of research on bacteriocins active against Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, we will examine the feasibility of weaponizing bacteriocins for use as a treatment for bacterial plant diseases.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Walker, Professor Daniel and Rooney, Dr William and Milner, Dr Joel and Chai, Dr Ray
• Authors: Rooney, W. M., Chai, R., Milner, J. L., and Walker, D.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Frontiers in Microbiology
• Publisher: Frontiers Media
• ISSN: 1664-302X
• ISSN (Online): 1664-302X
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Rooney, Chai, Milner and Walker
• First Published: First published in Frontiers in Microbiology 11:575981
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
307270		Exploiting bacteriocins for plant protection against pathogenic bacteria	Joel Milner	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)	BB/T004207/1	III - Bacteriology
190773		A novel mechanism of protein uptake in Gram-negative bacteria	Daniel Walker	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)	BB/L02022X/1	III - Bacteriology