Abstract:A gacA homologue, designated gacAXooc, was cloned from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xooc), a bacterium that causes leaf streak of rice, with degenerated primers by polymerase amplification reaction (PCR). NCBI blast search indicated that GacAXooc had a similar structure to that of other GacA proteins, and had a CheB(Chemotaxis response regulator containing a CheY-like receiver domain)domain. Sequence comparison showed that the gacAXooc was conserved in the Xanthomonas genus. Homology search revealed that the gacAXooc was 99.7% similarities to gacA(AY870457, this lab)of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). A gacAXooc disruption mutant was successfully generated by a single cross-over event, and confirmed by PCR and Southern blot. But the mutant still had strong pathogenicity,and its virulence was not obviously different from that of wild type strain. The gacA did not globally regulate metabolism in Xooc, which was different from DC3000 of P. syringae pv. tomato, CHA0 of P. fluorescens and IC1270 of Serratia plymuthica. Chemotaxis to 0.1% tryptone of the mutants was reduced compared to wild type strain. The results suggest that gacAXooc is involved chemotaxis of Xooc. Nevertheless, how gacA to regulate chemotaxis of Xooc, transcription and expression of genes involved in regulation still need to be further studied.