Genomic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of a narrow host-range Iranian strain of Xanthmonas citri sub. citri, NIGEB-88

  Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) is the causal agent of citrus bacterial canker. In Iran, for the first time, Alizadeh and Rahimian reported the presence of Xcc on Mexican lime (C. aurantifolia), in 1990. Early characterization data suggested the presence of both wide (pathotype A) and narrow (pathotype A* and Aw) host range Xcc strains in Iran. However, more recently a discriminant analysis of MLVA-31 and MLVA-14 data in 2014 showed that Iranian strains of Xcc have genetically belonged to the host-restricted pathotype A* but not to the pathotype A. This study was aimed for genomic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of a narrow-host-rang Iranian strain of X. citri sub. citri, NIGEB-88. To determine genetic characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of Iranian strains, Illumina sequencing method was used to obtain a draft genome sequence of Xcc strain NIGEB-88. General features of Iranian strain such as genome size, number of plasmids, average genomic GC content, number of CDS and structural RNA were similar to those of other Xcc pathotypes. Furthermore, studies of various potential virulence and host range determinants factors such as type III secretion system effectors, type IV secretion system and surface Lipopolysaccharides revealed that this pathogen is very close to XccA and XccAw strains. Phylogenetic and assessment of genes related to virulence and host specificity showed that XccA*NIGEB-88 is more closely related to other Iranian strain, XccA*NIGEB-386, and narrow-host-rang pathotype A*.