Host plant-derived benzoic acid interferes with 4-hydroxybenzoic acid degradation in the phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris by competitively binding to PobR

Abstract

Abstract Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris ( Xcc ) is the causal agent of black rot in Brassica vegetables, which can induce the host plant to produce salicylic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA) during infection. Xcc was previously shown to sense and degrade host plant-derived 4-HBA via the sensor PobR and a PobA-dependent pathway. The degradation of 4-HBA is associated with Xcc virulence in cabbage. The present study generated a reporter strain XC1