Scientists sequence genome of tomato bacteria

Washington, Aug 21: A discovery about how a bacteria infects tomatoes and speckles them with black spots could shed new light on an infection that causes rashes, and sometimes death, in humans.
Knowing which proteins cause infection will help scientists find a way to stop the bacteria - tomato speck from injecting itself into cells, said Greg Martin, a scientist at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research.
``Just understanding fundamental processes about how the bacteria infects hosts will give us new targets to be able to go in and interfere with the infections,'' Martin said in an interview this week.
Tomato speck, or ‘pseudomonas syringae’, is cousin to a germ that causes illness in humans. The bacteria are found in soil, water, plants and animals.
Tomato speck usually doesn't wipe out crops, but it is difficult to get rid of. Farmers usually rely on copper-based sprays to kill the germ, but it is becoming resistant. Strains of it also attack other plants, such as beans and mustard.

In people, the cousin of this germ, ‘pseudomonas aeruginosa’, attacks those with weak immune systems, causing symptoms such as rashes, pimples and nausea. Patients with the lung disease cystic fibrosis can suffer heart failure if they become infected.

‘Pseudomonas aeruginosa’ also can cause ear infections and the illness meningitis, which inflames tissue in the brain and spinal cord.

Doctors are faced with the same problem as farmers the bacteria is becoming resistant to the antibiotics they depend on to kill it.
Bureau Report