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Fasciation in Crassula argentea: molecular identification of phytoplasmas and associated antioxidative capacity

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Abstract

The present study reports on phytoplasma induced fasciation in Crassula argintea (Crassulaceae). DNA was extracted from symptomless and fasciated tissues and amplified by nested PCR using universal primers P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 produced amplicons of 1.2 Kb. The nucleotide sequence analyses of the amplicons indicated that fasciated plants were infected by phytoplasma. Phylogenetic analysis placed the Crassula fasciation phytoplasmas in 16SrII-D group. Histochemical staining for reactive oxygen species indicated that phytoplasma infected (PI) tissues possess significantly higher levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) rather than superoxide (O2 ·-) as compared with symptomless tissues. PI tissues were also associated with a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and glutathione reductase) and electrolyte leakage as compared with symptomless tissues.

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Abbreviations

CAT:

Catalase

DAB:

3 3-diaminobenzidine

GR:

Glutathione reductase

NBT:

Nitro blue tetrazolium

PI:

Phytoplasma infected

POX:

Peroxidase

PPO:

Polyphenol oxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by King Saud University, Deanship of Scientific Research, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, Agriculture Research Center. The authors are thankful to Plant Pathology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Kafrelsheikh University for identification of phytoplasma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Yaser Hassan Dewir

  2. Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt

    Yaser Hassan Dewir & Mohammed El-Sayed El-Mahrouk

  3. Department of Agricultural Botany, EPCRS Excellence Center, Plant Pathology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt

    Ayman Faisal Omar, Yaser Mohamed Hafez & Rasha Yousef Mourad

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  1. Yaser Hassan Dewir
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  2. Ayman Faisal Omar
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Correspondence to Yaser Hassan Dewir.

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Dewir, Y.H., Omar, A.F., Hafez, Y.M. et al. Fasciation in Crassula argentea: molecular identification of phytoplasmas and associated antioxidative capacity. Phytoparasitica 44, 65–74 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-015-0497-7

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