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. 2011 Nov 28;2(4):980-97.
doi: 10.3390/genes2040980.

Insights into cross-kingdom plant pathogenic bacteria

Affiliations

Insights into cross-kingdom plant pathogenic bacteria

Morgan W B Kirzinger et al. Genes (Basel). .

Abstract

Plant and human pathogens have evolved disease factors to successfully exploit their respective hosts. Phytopathogens utilize specific determinants that help to breach reinforced cell walls and manipulate plant physiology to facilitate the disease process, while human pathogens use determinants for exploiting mammalian physiology and overcoming highly developed adaptive immune responses. Emerging research, however, has highlighted the ability of seemingly dedicated human pathogens to cause plant disease, and specialized plant pathogens to cause human disease. Such microbes represent interesting systems for studying the evolution of cross-kingdom pathogenicity, and the benefits and tradeoffs of exploiting multiple hosts with drastically different morphologies and physiologies. This review will explore cross-kingdom pathogenicity, where plants and humans are common hosts. We illustrate that while cross-kingdom pathogenicity appears to be maintained, the directionality of host association (plant to human, or human to plant) is difficult to determine. Cross-kingdom human pathogens, and their potential plant reservoirs, have important implications for the emergence of infectious diseases.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cycling of cross-kingdom pathogens between plants and humans. Movement of human-associated bacteria (Salmonella, Serratia, Enterobacter, Enterococcus) into the general environment may occur through wastewater, with additional microbial input coming from agricultural and livestock runoff. Irrigation using contaminated water, along with vectoring by insects can lead to inoculation of plant surfaces or plant soils. Movement of potential human pathogenic bacteria from plants is also likely facilitated by insects, which can disperse bacteria into the general environment. The route back to humans is less clear, although some pathogens like Burkholderia and Pantoea can cause direct infections following cutaneous lesions or injuries from thorns or splinters.

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