The Role of ClpV in the Physiology and Pathogenicity of subsp. Strain zlm1908.

subsp. () is a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for citrus canker, a significant threat to citrus crops. ClpV is a critical protein in the type VI secretion system (T6SS) as an ATPase involved in bacterial motility, adhesion, and pathogenesis to the host for some pathogenic bacteria. In order to investigate the function of gene in , the -deletion strain Δ was constructed, its biological properties were evaluated, and the differences in gene expression levels between the wild-type strain and Δ were analyzed by transcriptomics. The results exhibited significantly reduced biofilm formation, extracellular polysaccharide synthesis, and swarming motility in Δ compared to the wild-type strain. Although the -deletion did not significantly affect bacterial growth or pathogenicity in terms of disease symptoms on citrus leaves, the mutant showed increased sensitivity to environmental stresses (NaCl, SDS, and HO) and antibiotics (β-lactams and aminoglycosides). Transcriptome analysis revealed that -deletion altered the expression of motility-related genes and the efflux pump gene . Our findings underscore the importance of ClpV in maintaining biofilm integrity and suggest a multifaceted role in adaptive strategies of , positioning ClpV as a potential target for mitigating citrus canker disease.