Marker-assisted selection improves the efficiency of bioprospecting and results in the recovery of novel biocontrol bacteria
J. Park (1), S. Lee (1), J. Lee (1), S. Han (1), J. Kim (2), Y. Kim (1), B. MCSPADDEN GARDENER (3)
(1) Chonnam National University, Gwangju, SOUTH KOREA; (2) Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, SOUTH KOREA; (3) Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, U.S.A.
Phytopathology 101:S137

In the search for natural products, large collections of microorganisms are screened for novel and effective isolates. In order to more efficiently recover and exploit, a greater variety of plant-associated bacteria as biopesticides, we developed a multivariate sampling and marker-assisted selection strategy. In doing so, we quantified the relative effects of different sampling and selection factors on the diversity of recovered bacteria, showing that variation in all factors could result in the recovery of distinct genotypes as defined by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analyses (ARDRA). The efficiency of bioprospecting was improved by focusing phenotypic characterization solely on representative ARDRA-defined genotypes. Subsequent sequencing and phenotypic analyses revealed that our marker-assisted selection strategy led to the recovery several rare and, to date, poorly characterized genera of plant-associated bacteria with significant biocontrol activities. The modes of action of several of these strains is currently being investigated.