低pH条件对紫花苜蓿结瘤的影响及机制初探

探讨了低pH条件下紫花苜蓿根毛变形和结瘤受到的影响及其机制。结果表明,在低pH条件下,初生根伸长和根瘤菌OD600值显著下降,根共生结瘤受到明显抑制。在接种根瘤菌、不加NF的条件下,pH5.0、pH4.7、pH4.5、pH4.2处理的根毛变形率分别比对照(pH6.5)减少了44.1%、56.4%、60.0%和69.0%;在加入NF、不接种根瘤菌的情况下,低pH(4.5)处理,根毛的变形也比对照(pH6.5)减少了45.9%。结果暗示,低pH条件下苜蓿结瘤初期的结瘤信号传导受阻,这可能是导致酸性条件下苜蓿结瘤减少的重要原因之一。     

结合态氮对根瘤菌生长液诱导的苜蓿根毛变形的抑制

以苜蓿根瘤菌和其宿主苜蓿为材料,由结合态氮影响苜蓿根瘤菌生长液诱导宿主根毛变形的功能发现,硝态氮和铵态氮均能有效地抑制根瘤菌生长液诱导的宿主根毛变形。而其抑制作用随结合态氮浓度的增加、作用时间的延长而增强。该抑制作用发生在结合态氮浓度和作用时间分别达到1mmol/L和12h时,或当其浓度和作用时间分别为6mmol/L和48h时,根瘤菌生长液引起根毛变形的植株百分率下降到10％。硝态氮与铵态氮抑制根瘤菌生长液诱导根毛变形的作用相类似。     

结合态氮对根瘤菌生长液诱导的苜蓿根毛变形的抑制

以苜蓿根瘤菌和其宿主苜蓿为材料,由结合态氮影响苜蓿根瘤菌生长液诱导宿主根毛变形的功能发现,硝态氮和铵态氮均能有效地抑制中根瘤菌生长液诱导的主根毛变形。而其抑制作用随结合态氮浓度的增加,作用时间的延长而增强。     

紫云英根瘤菌结瘤因子的初步研究

最近的研究结果表明,豆科植物与根瘤菌的共生识别是一种双向的信号物质交换过程.首先是豆科植物的根或种子分泌类黄酮物质,诱导根瘤菌的结瘤基因(nod genes)产生结瘤因子(nod factors),分泌到胞外,为植物所接受,从而引发植物某些基因表达,细胞分化,细胞壁形成,最终导致根毛变形等一系列变化.已经测定了几种苜蓿根瘤菌(Rhizobium meliloti)和豌豆根瘤菌(R.leguminosarum bv.viciae)结瘤因子的分子结构式,它们均属于寡糖胺类物质,在没有根瘤菌存在的条件下,结瘤因子能独立地促使根毛发生变形,这是检测结瘤因子是否存在的重要手段,即根毛变形试验(Root hairdeformation assay,简称Had试验).高浓度的结瘤因子甚至能诱导植物产生空瘤,其组织结构与典型的根瘤相同.     

苜蓿中华根瘤菌desA基因功能的鉴定

为研究苜蓿中华根瘤菌脂肪酸脱饱和酶desA基因在不饱和脂肪酸合成、共生结瘤固氮以及应对逆境胁迫中的功能,为高效利用苜蓿中华根瘤菌提供理论依据,本文通过异体遗传互补和脂肪酸组成薄层层析,分析SmdesA编码蛋白是否具有脱饱和酶的活性并参与不饱和脂肪酸的合成,构建SmdesA的缺失突变株和互补菌株,比较各菌株在不同逆境胁迫条件下的生长速率以及回接宿主植物后与紫花苜蓿共生结瘤的能力.结果表明SmdesA不能互补大肠杆菌CY57中EcfabA的突变,但具有将饱和脂肪酸脱饱和形成不饱和的棕榈油酸和十八碳烯酸的能力.另外,SmdesA缺失突变对苜蓿中华根瘤菌的脂肪酸组成影响不大,但会显著影响低温和高盐条件下菌株的生长速率以及与紫花苜蓿共生结瘤的能力.我们推测,SmdesA参与的脱饱和途径可能是苜蓿中华根瘤菌不饱和脂肪酸合成的补偿途径,其编码的蛋白DesA不是不饱和脂肪酸合成的关键酶,但在应对逆境胁迫和共生结瘤中具有重要的生物学功能.     

外源钙离子对小麦幼苗氮素代谢的影响

以普通小麦豫麦34为材料,研究了不同浓度的外源Ca2 对小麦幼苗氮素代谢的影响.在小麦第一片叶完全展开后,开始外源Ca2 处理,设0 (对照)、2、4 mmol · L-1 和8 mmol · L-1 4个Ca2 浓度梯度.处理5d后,测定氮同化酶活性、氮同化量及其它相关代谢物含量.结果表明,小麦幼苗叶片中硝酸还原酶(NR)和谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS)在2 mmol · L-1 Ca2 处理下活性比对照有显著增加,4 mmol · L-1 Ca2 处理的NR活性增加明显,但GS活性增加不显著;8 mmol · L-1 Ca2 处理下NR和GS活性比对照均明显降低.谷氨酸脱氢酶(NADH-GDH)活性在2 mmol · L-1 Ca2 处理下活性增加不明显,而在4、8 mmol · L-1 Ca2 处理下活性显著增加.小麦幼苗氮同化量以4 mmol · L-1处理最大,2 mmol · L-1处理与4 mmol · L-1之间差异不显著;Ca2 浓度为8 mmol · L-1时,氮素同化量明显降低.结果揭示了小麦幼苗不同氮同化途径对Ca2 的响应不同,GS途径比GDH途径对小麦氮素同化量的增加作用更大;4 mmol · L-1对小麦幼苗的氮素利用可能是最有效的Ca2 浓度.     

一株能在大豆上结瘤的苜蓿中华根瘤菌

苜蓿中华根瘤菌(Sinorhizobium meliloti)XJ96077分离自新疆的苜蓿根瘤中,其原宿主为紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)。交叉结瘤试验发现,它既可在苜蓿上又能在大豆上结瘤固氮。DNA(G C)mol％分析表明,XJ96077的DNA(G C)mol％为61．9％,与已报道的根瘤菌属的DNA(G C)mol％范围(59％-64％)相符。DNA同源性分析表明,XJ96077与苜蓿中华根瘤菌USDA1002^T和042BM的同源性分别达到93％和80％,说明XJ96077归属于苜蓿中华根瘤菌。应用绿色荧光蛋白基因标记XJ96077,得到重组菌株XJ96077(G)。将其接种普通紫花苜蓿,通过激光共聚焦荧光显微镜可以检测到标记基因的表达。接种北引1号大豆上,同样可以清楚地观察到标记基因在根瘤中的表达,从而确证了XJ96077能同时在苜蓿和大豆上结瘤。通过不同品种大豆的结瘤试验,发现XJ96077对大豆品种的结瘤能力不同。     

Ca2+缓解NaCI胁迫引起的玉米光合能力下降的作用

以'鲁玉14号玉米'('Zeamays cv.Luyu 14')为材料,研究了Ca2 对NaCl胁迫下玉米叶片的气孔导度、净光合速率、Mehler反应及其对超氧化物歧化酶SOD和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶APX活性的影响,探讨了Ca2 在盐胁迫中的可能作用及其作用机制.正常生长条件下外施2～16 mmol·L-1Ca2 造成气孔导度下降,但在盐胁迫条件下外施2～8 mmol·L-1Ca2 却能降低盐胁迫造成的气孔导度下降.另外,无论正常生长条件下还是盐胁迫下,依赖Mehler反应的电子传递都会因Ca2 的加入而增强,但后者的增强程度较大.对照植株经2～8 mmol·L-1Ca2 处理后总电子传递明显降低,而外施2～8 mmol·L-1Ca2 对盐胁迫植株的总电子传递却有明显的促进作用.8 mmol·L-1Ca2 显著地提高了盐胁迫下SOD和APX的活性,相比之下,Ca2 对APX活性的促进作用更加显著.Ca2 的加入明显减轻了盐胁迫对玉米的抑制作用,这主要归因于Ca2 降低了盐胁迫造成的气孔关闭,改善了光合作用,并通过促进Mehler反应一方面直接耗散过剩的激发电子避免了电子传递链的过度还原,另一方面建立跨膜的pH梯度刺激依赖叶黄素循环的热耗散来耗散过剩光能,从而缓解了盐胁迫下过剩光能对玉米造成的伤害.而Mehler反应产生的活性氧可以被活性提高的抗氧化酶所清除.     

豇豆根瘤菌NGR234和紫云英根瘤菌109感染紫云英的比较研究

利用光学和电子显微镜对紫云英根瘤菌菌株109和广宿主的快生型根瘤菌菌株NGR234感染温带型豆科植物紫云英进行了研究,结果表明根瘤菌感染紫云英是通过在根毛中形成侵染线的途径。电子显微镜研究揭示了固氮根瘤中细胞内侵染线的存在。接种二天后,首先可观察到根毛的卷曲或分枝。接种四至五天后,在每株植物卷曲的根毛中可看到侵染线。接种八至十天后的植株出现肉眼可见的根瘤。菌株NGR234能够在紫云英上诱导根毛的卷曲,侵染线和根瘤的形成,但所形成的根瘤却未能固氮,根瘤中无明显的类菌体区,但有少数包有细菌的侵染线。NGR234抗抗菌素的衍生菌均未能使紫云英结瘤。将NGR234的共生质粒转移至三叶草、苜蓿、豌豆、快生型大豆根瘤菌和农杆菌,亦未能使这些细菌获得紫云英上结瘤的能力。     

根瘤菌结瘤因子的微量生物检测法

在豆科植物根系分泌物诱导下,根瘤菌在自生状态下能产生胞外寡糖胺类物质─—结瘤因子,其生物学功能之一是引起某些豆科植物根毛卷曲。结瘤因子与根毛接触４ｈ后,即使去除结瘤因子,３～６天后根毛即能发生变形。据此设计出一种结瘤因子微量生物检测法。该法操作方便,并且只需耗用微量结瘤因子。     

Auxotrophy accounts for nodulation defect of most Sinorhizobium meliloti mutants in the branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis pathway

Some Sinorhizobium meliloti mutants in genes involved in isoleucine, valine, and leucine biosynthesis were previously described as being unable to induce nodule formation on host plants. Here, we present a reappraisal of the interconnection between the branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis pathway and the nodulation process in S. meliloti. We characterized the symbiotic phenotype of seven mutants that are auxotrophic for isoleucine, valine, or leucine in two closely related S. meliloti strains, 1021 and 2011. We showed that all mutants were similarly impaired for nodulation and infection of the Medicago sativa host plant. In most cases, the nodulation phenotype was fully restored by the addition of the missing amino acids to the plant growth medium. This strongly suggests that auxotrophy is the cause of the nodulation defect of these mutants. However, we confirmed previous findings that ilvC and ilvD2 mutants in the S. meliloti 1021 genetic background could not be restored to nodulation by supplementation with exogenous amino acids even though their Nod factor production appeared to be normal.     

Transconjugants of Agrobacterium radiobacter harbouring sym genes of Rhizobium galegae can form an effective symbiosis with Medicago sativa

It is known that the Rhizobium galegae genomes contain megaplasmids. The suicide vector pSUP2111 with nifH gene of R. meliloti was introduced into the strains CIAM 0703 and CIAM 0711 of R. galegae inducing effective nodules on Galega orientalis plants. The formation of self-transmissible megaplasmids was observed. The megaplasmid transfer into non-nodulating R. meliloti mutants resulted in partial complementation of the nodulation defect in recipient strains though only one transconjugant showed the nitrogen-fixing activity in symbiosis with alfalfa and another one in symbiosis with G. orientalis plants. Among the Agrobacterium strains harbouring R. galegae megaplasmids there were four classes of transconjugants: (1) Nod+ Fix- in symbiosis with goat's rue plants (three strains); (2) Nod+ Fix- on Medicago sativa (two strains); (3) Nod+ Fix+ on M. sativa (five strains); (4) Nod- with both plant hosts (11 strains).     

At least two nodD genes are necessary for efficient nodulation of alfalfa by Rhizobium meliloti

A Rhizobium meliloti DNA region (nodD1) involved in the regulation of other early nodulation genes has been delimited by directed Tn5 mutagenesis and its nucleotide sequence has been determined. The sequence data indicate a large open reading frame with opposite polarity to nodA, -B and -C, coding for a protein of 308 (or 311) amino acid residues. Tn5 insertion within the gene caused a delay in nodulation of Medicago sativa from four to seven days. Hybridization of nodD1 to total DNA of Rhizobium meliloti revealed two additional nodD sequences (nodD2 and nodD3) and both were localized on the megaplasmid pRme41b in the vicinity of the other nod genes. Genetic and DNA hybridization data, combined with nucleotide sequencing showed that nodD2 is a functional gene, while requirement of nodD3 for efficient nodulation of M. sativa could not be detected under our experimental conditions. The nodD2 gene product consists of 310 amino acid residues and shares 86.4% homology with the nodD1 protein. Single nodD2 mutants had the same nodulation phenotype as the nodD1 mutants, while a double nodD1-nodD2 mutant exhibited a more severe delay in nodulation. These results indicate that at least two functional copies of the regulatory gene nodD are necessary for the optimal expression of nodulation genes in R. meliloti.     

Interference between Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium trifolii nodulation genes: genetic basis of R. meliloti dominance.

Transfer of an IncP plasmid carrying the Rhizobium meliloti nodFE, nodG, and nodH genes to Rhizobium trifolii enabled R. trifolii to nodulate alfalfa (Medicago sativa), the normal host of R. meliloti. Using transposon Tn5-linked mutations and in vitro-constructed deletions of the R. meliloti nodFE, nodG, and nodH genes, we showed that R. meliloti nodH was required for R. trifolii to elicit both root hair curling and nodule initiation on alfalfa and that nodH, nodFE, and nodG were required for R. trifolii to elicit infection threads in alfalfa root hairs. Interestingly, the transfer of the R. meliloti nodFE, nodG, and nodH genes to R. trifolii prevented R. trifolii from infecting and nodulating its normal host, white clover (Trifolium repens). Experiments with the mutated R. meliloti nodH, nodF, nodE, and nodG genes demonstrated that nodH, nodF, nodE, and possibly nodG have an additive effect in blocking infection and nodulation of clover.     

Regulation of the Phosphate Stress Response in Rhizobium meliloti by PhoB

Alkaline phosphatase activity and phosphate transport rates in Rhizobium meliloti increased significantly when medium phosphate levels decreased to approximately 10 (mu)M. Both responses were abolished in a Tn5:: phoB mutant, but the mutant could be complemented by a plasmid that contained cloned R. meliloti phoB. The PhoB(sup-) mutant had a normal symbiosis phenotype under growth conditions that supplied either limiting or nonlimiting levels of phosphate to the host plant Medicago sativa, suggesting that induction of genes by PhoB was not required for normal symbiotic function.     

Localization and symbiotic function of a region on the Rhizobium leguminosarum Sym plasmid pRL1JI responsible for a secreted, flavonoid-inducible 50-kilodalton protein.

A previously described (R. A. de Maagd, C. A. Wijffelman, E. Pees, and B. J. J. Lugtenberg, J. Bacteriol. 170:4424-4427, 1988) Sym plasmid-dependent, naringenin-inducible 50-kilodalton protein of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae is further characterized in this paper. The protein was overproduced by constructing a strain containing multiple copies of the R. meliloti nodD gene, which facilitated its purification. An antiserum was used to screen Tn5 insertion mutants located in the pRL1JI region found to be responsible for the production of the 50-kilodalton protein. These inserts define a new nod locus left of the nod genes identified previously. Mutations in this region affect the nodulation ability in a way which is dependent on the bacterial background as well as on the host plant. The mutants nodulate normally in a strain RBL1532 (R. leguminosarum biovar viciae strain 248, cured of its Sym plasmid) background on all three tested host plant species. In contrast, in a strain RBL5045 (R. leguminosarum biovar trifolii strain RCR5, cured of its Sym plasmid) background, nodulation on Vicia sativa is severely impaired, whereas nodulation on Vicia hirsuta and Trifolium subterraneum is apparently unaltered.     

The typA gene is required for stress adaptation as well as for symbiosis of Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 with certain Medicago truncatula lines

In this article, we describe the typA gene of Sinorhizobium meliloti, the orthologue of typA/bipA genes found in a wide range of bacteria. We found that typA was required for survival of S. meliloti under certain stress conditions, such as growth at low temperature or low pH and in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The cold-sensitive phenotype of both Escherichia coli bipA and S. meliloti typA mutants were cross-complemented, indicating that the two genes are functionally equivalent. typA was indispensable for symbiosis on Medicago truncatula Jemalong and F83005.5 and contributes to the full efficiency of symbiosis on other host plant lines such as DZA315.16 or several cultivars of M. sativa. Hence, the symbiotic requirement for typA is host dependent. Interestingly, the symbiotic defect was different on Jemalong and F83005.5 plants, thus indicating that typA is required at a different stage of the symbiotic interaction.     

Molecular basis of symbiotic host specificity in Rhizobium meliloti: nodH and nodPQ genes encode the sulfation of lipo-oligosaccharide signals.

The symbiosis between Rhizobium and legumes is highly specific. For example, R. meliloti elicits the formation of root nodules on alfalfa and not on vetch. We recently reported that R. meliloti nodulation (nod) genes determine the production of acylated and sulfated glucosamine oligosaccharide signals. We now show that the biochemical function of the major host-range genes, nodH and nodPQ, is to specify the 6-O-sulfation of the reducing terminal glucosamine. Purified Nod factors (sulfated or not) from nodH+ or nodH- strains exhibited the same plant specificity in a variety of bioassays (root hair deformations, nodulation, changes in root morphology) as the bacterial cells from which they were purified. These results provide strong evidence that the molecular mechanism by which the nodH and nodPQ genes mediate host specificity is by determining the sulfation of the extracellular Nod signals.