sequence analysis of the gyrB and
rpoD genes did not differentiate among the
BBLS isolates; all of them share more than
99% identities, even those that elicited
different host responses. However, cellular
fatty acid composition indices of the BBLS
isolates ranged from 0.692 to 0.934. The
same variation has also been reported in B.
andropogonis strains isolated from jojoba,
where the similarity index ranged from
0.342 to 0.829 (10). Furthermore, when
using the DG04 primer, which was designed
for genetic typing of X. citri (citrus
canker) strains (11) based on the terminal
inverted repeat sequences that flank the
pathogenicity gene pthA (22), we obtained
different PCR products from these isolates
(Fig. 7). Four of the 11 isolates examined
shared a similar pattern of PCR products
using DG04, and these same isolates/strains
were found to be more pathogenic
to citrus.