''Clavibacter michiganensis'' is an
aerobic non-sporulating
Gram-positive
In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall.
The Gram stain is ...
plant pathogenic actinomycete of the genus ''
Clavibacter''. ''Clavibacter michiganensis'' has several subspecies. ''Clavibacter michiganensis'' subsp. ''michiganensis'' causes substantial economic losses worldwide by damaging
tomato
The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...
es and
potato
The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...
es.
[Gartemann et al. "''Clavibacter michiganensis'' subsp. ''michiganensis'': First steps in the understanding of virulence of a Gram-positive phytopathogenic bacterium", ''Journal of Biotechnology'', Germany, 16 July 2003. Retrieved on 2011-10-26.]
Context
''Clavibacter michiganensis'', also known as Ring Rot, is an unusual genus of phytopathogenic bacteria in that it is gram-positive and does not have a
type three secretion system
The type III secretion system (T3SS or TTSS) is one of the bacterial secretion systems used by bacteria to secretion, secrete their Bacterial effector protein, effector proteins into the host's cells to promote virulence and Colonisation (biology ...
. All ''Clavibacter'' species and subspecies have a type B2γ
cell wall
A cell wall is a structural layer that surrounds some Cell type, cell types, found immediately outside the cell membrane. It can be tough, flexible, and sometimes rigid. Primarily, it provides the cell with structural support, shape, protection, ...
crosslinked at a
diaminobutyrate residue. ''Clavibacter'' is an aerobic bacterium with a