LAMP: An early warning tool for quarantine phytopaths | AMB Express

Journal:
Chiara Aglietti, Nicola Luchi, Alessia Lucia Pepori, Paola Bartolini, Francesco Pecori, Aida Raio, Paolo Capretti and Alberto Santini
Published: 2019/04/24
Digital ID: 10.1186/s13568-019-0774-9
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Plant pathogens once spread and settled in a region. Especially at a time of growing global mobility and trade, prevention through early detection of these pathogens at ports of entry is essential. In a recent article published in AMB Express, researchers developed a reliable and fast diagnostic test for early detection of quarantine pathogens such as Xylella fastidiosa.recent years, the vulnerability of natural ecosystems to non-biological and biological destruction has become increasingly apparent, mainly because the effects of climate change have increased the environmental pressures on ecosystems. With changes in management systems, the expansion of global trade, population movements and the development of tourism, the number of foreign pests and pathogens intercepted at ports of entry is increasing.
invasive alien species poses a significant threat to biodiversity, the global economy and human health. Under the influence of global trade, the geographical barriers to the isolation of plant pathogens no longer exist, giving invasive species the opportunity to enter a new ecosystem where they can regain their susceptible hosts and/or environments that allow them to "try their fists".
in Europe, the accidental introduction of Xylella fastidiosa, Ceratocystis platani and Phytophthora ramorum through infected plants or wood has led to epidemics with significant economic and ecological impacts.Establishing an effective framework for early warning and rapid response is key to preventing or at least mitigating the effects of biological invasion of plant pathogens, particularly at ports of entry.early diagnosis is part of the decision-making process and, in the case of plant diseases, prevents the spread of invasive plant pathogens and helps to eradicate them. If the test technology can be carried out close to the sampling point, it will be able to shorten the detection time, with significant advantages. We aim to optimize reliable, fast and sensitive diagnostic testing methods using PORTABLE portable instruments such as Loop mediated isothermal amplification, which allows for early detection of quarantine pathogens such as carnisulation woodworms, suspended Suzuki ulcer bacteria, and eucalyptus sudden death bacteria.including DNA extraction, LAMP testing takes as little as 40 minutes to complete a complete and specific on-site analysis, with the smallest amount of pathogen inoculation detected even in asymptomatic tissues. When rapid diagnosis is required, especially for phytosanitary inspections, portable LAMP is a good choice to prevent the introduction and spread of these destructive quarantine pathogens.Once pathogens have spread and settled in an area, eradication is extremely difficult. Therefore, the early detection and prevention of new species at ports of entry appears to be the only reliable measure. But with global liquidity increasing, there are still some difficulties in achieving this. The use of fast, specific and sensitive, immediate methods, such as LAPP analysis, enables phytosanitary services to make immediate management decisions, avoiding environmental and economic losses. These tools require very little equipment and some (or even no) specific scientific skills, so anyone can learn to use them through simple training.
, technological advances can provide us with effective tools to prevent or limit the spread of diseases that may have serious economic, ecological and sociological consequences.An effective framework for early warning and rapid response is a crucial element to prevent or mitigate the impact of biological invasions of plant pathogens, especially at ports of entry. Molecular detection of pathogens by using PCR-based methods usually requires a well-equipped laboratory. Rapid detection tools that can be applied as point-of-care diagnostics are highly desirable, especially to intercept quarantine plant pathogens such asXylella fastidiosa, Ceratocystis platani and Phytophthora ramorum, three of the most devastating pathogens of trees and ornamental plants in Europe and North America. To this aim, in this study we developed three different loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays able to detect each target pathogen both in DNA extracted from axenic culture and in infected plant tissues. By using the portable instrument Genie® II, the LAMP assay was able to recognize X. fastidiosa, C. platani and P. ramorum DNA within 30 min of isothermal amplification reaction, with high levels of specificity and sensitivity (up to 0.02 pg µL−1 of DNA). These new LAMP-based tools, allowing an on-site rapid detection of pathogens, are especially suited for being used at ports of entry, but they can be also profitably used to monitor and prevent the possible spread of invasive pathogens in natural ecosystems.(
) is a high quality journal that brings together research in the area of Applied and Industrial Microbiology with a particular interest in White Biotechnology and Red Biotechnology. The emphasis is on processes employing microorganisms, eukaryotic cell cultures or enzymes for the biosynthesis, transformation and degradation of compounds. This includes fine and bulk chemicals, polymeric compounds and enzymes or other proteins. Downstream processes are also considered. Integrated processes combining biochemical and chemical processes are also published.
(Source: Science.com)