Biological control of pathogenicity in microbes that use alpha, beta unsaturated fatty acid signal molecules

Abstract

DSF-based microbial pathogens may be controlled by certain methods and compositions. A method of controlling diseases caused in a host organism by pathogenic microbial expression of α,β unsaturated fatty acid signal (DSF) molecules involves inoculating the host organism with a non-pathogenic microbe that disrupts α,β unsaturated fatty acid signal molecule-mediated cell-cell communication by the pathogenic microbe in the host organism. Microbes having protein expression that interferes with α,β unsaturated fatty acid signal molecule-mediated cell-cell communication by the pathogenic microbe in the host organism can be identified and isolated or engineered by transformation with DSF-interference (inhibition or activation) gene or genes. Genes conferring DSF-interference activity can also be expressed in organisms (e.g., plants) susceptible to diseases caused by microbes that use DSF, resulting in genetically resistant organisms.