Antibiotic Resilience and Copper Resistant Genes in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Strains

Abstract

Soft rot of carrot caused byP. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) is one of the economically important disease. Even though it is storage disease under field conditions, the disease is being managed using antibiotics and copper based compounds but with the limited success with their poor efficacy. The reduced efficacy of antibiotics and copper compounds against populations of Pcc might be due to the development of bactericide resistant genes through required genes. In the current study 14 isolates of Pccwere collected from different geographic locations of Karnataka and causal organisms were isolated and identified through PCR with specific primers. Streptomycin resistance genes such as rpsL, strA, strB and copper resistance genes copA,copB, copL were detected using gene specific primers in PCR. Among the 14 isolates of Pcconly some of were found positive for the presence of streptomycin resistant genesi.e.,strA (seven isolates), strB(10 isolates) but not for rpsL. Whereas none of the isolate showed positive for the presence of copA, copB and copL gene supporting the molecular evidence of there is no evolution of copper resistant genes in Pccstrains from our collection. The present study provides preliminary information on the presence of antibiotic resistance genes and absence for in the field populations of Pcc.