The CIRM-CFBP of the Microbial Pillar has published the genomic sequence of 17 new strains of Curtobacterium

The complex species Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens of the family Microbacteriaceae encompasses a group of phytopathogenic actinobacterial strains affecting annual crops and ornamentals. The species comprises five pathovars: C. flaccumfaciens pv. betae, C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens, C. flaccumfaciens pv. ilicis, C. flaccumfaciens pv. oortii and C. flaccumfaciens pv. poinsettiae.
Despite the economic importance of C. flaccumfaciens, its members have rarely been studied for their phylogenetic relationships, molecular characteristics and virulence repertoires, partly due to the lack of comprehensive genomic resources.

Here we present the whole genome sequence of 17 strains of C. flaccumfaciens representing members of four pathovars isolated from different plant species in a diverse geographical and temporal range. The genomic data presented in this study will pave the way for research on the comparative genomics, phylogenomics and taxonomy of C. flaccumfaciens, and expand our understanding of the virulence characteristics of the species.

These genomic sequences were obtained within the framework of the CIRM 2020 sequencing project funded by DISC/CNOC (INRAE).

Contact :

• Perrine Portier
• Marion Le Saux

Website :

• https://cirm-cfbp.fr