A single amino acid substitution in the SdhB protein of succinate dehydrogenase determines resistance to amicarthiazol in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Abstract BACKGROUND: Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae Ishiyama, a causal agent of rice bacterial leaf blight, was found to be sensitive in vitro to the systemic fungicide amicarthiazol (2‐amino‐4‐methylthiazole ‐5‐carboxanilide), which is a potent inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH, EC 1.3.99.1). This paper aimed to determine the molecular resistance mechanism of X. oryzae pv. oryzae to amicarthiazol. RESULTS: UV‐induced resistant mutants of X. oryzae pv. oryzae to amicarthiazol were isolated. The activity of SDH in wild‐type X. oryzae pv. oryzae was strongly inhibited by amicarthiazol, while that in resistant mutants was insensitive, although their SDH activity was decreased compared with the wild‐type sensitive strain without amicarthiazol. A mutation of Histidine 229 (CAC) to Tyrosine 229 (TAC) was identified in sdhB , which encoded the iron–sulfur protein subunit of SDH. The sdhB from the mutant was ligated into a cosmid, pUFR034, to generate pUFR034RAX, which conferred resistance to amicarthiazol when transformed into the wild‐type sensitive strain. CONCLUSION: A mutation of His 229 (CAC) to Tyr 229 (TAC) in SdhB was responsible for determining amicarthiazol resistance. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry