Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) the causal agent of Citrus Bacterial Canker (CBC) has three pathotypes: A, A* and Aw, with difference in virulence and host-specificity. Discriminant analysis of MLVA-31 and MLVA-14 data by Pruvost and Goodarzi et al. (2015) showed that Iranian strains of Xcc are restricted host range to Mexican lime (C. aurantifolia) and genetically belonged to the pathotype A*. Members of this pathotype classified into four subgroups, among which Iranian strains belong to clusters 4.1 and 4.4. Cluster 4.4 include strains isolated from the province of Sistan-Baluchestan and distinguished as a new isolate was not defined and reported previously anywhere else in the world. All other Iranian strains are grouped into cluster 4.1. Here, to determine the diversity and genetic characteristics of Iranian Xcc strains and to compare them with XccA306 (pathotype A) and Xcaw12879 (pathotype Aw), we determined high quality draft genome sequences of two Iranian strains from cluster 4.1 (XccA* NIGEB-88) and cluster 4.4 (XccA* NIGEB-386). Based on our results, there is a close similarity in general features of four analyzed strains. Studies of various potential virulence and host range determinant factors, such as type III secretion system effectors, type IV secretion system, LPS and others, in four Xcc strains along with results of phylogenetic analysis showed high similarity between two Iranian strains and also significant differences between three Xcc pathotypes. It seems that the presence of specific virulence factors in each pathotype is probably the main factor for divergent of them from common ancestor.
