- 1CEMUC, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
- 2Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
- 3Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany.
- 4CEMUC, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. pvmorais@ci.uc.pt.
- 5Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. pvmorais@ci.uc.pt.
Abstract
Pine
wilt disease (PWD) is one of the most destructive diseases in trees of
the genus Pinus and is responsible for environmental and economic losses
around the world. The only known causal agent of the disease is the
pinewood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Despite that,
bacteria belonging to several different genera have been found
associated with PWN and their roles in the development of PWD have been
suggested. Molecular methodologies and the new era of genomics have
revealed different perspectives to the problem, recognizing the manifold
interactions between different organisms involved in the disease. Here,
we reviewed the possible roles of nematode-carried bacteria in PWD,
what could be the definition of this group of microorganisms and
questioned their origin as possible endophytes, discussing their
relation within the endophytic community of pine trees. The diversity of
the nematode-carried bacteria and the diversity of pine tree
endophytes, reported until now, is revised in detail in this review.
What could signify a synergetic effect with PWN harming the plant, or
what could equip bacteria with functions to control the presence of
nematodes inside the tree, is outlined as two possible roles of the
microbial community in the etiology of this disease. An emphasis is put
on the potential revealed by the genomic data of isolated organisms in
their potential activities as effective tools in PWD management.
© 2016 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
KEYWORDS:
Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
; bacteria; biocontrol; endophytes; nematodes; pine wilt disease
