Physiological studies on N2-fixing root nodules ofDatisca cannabina L. andAlnus nitida Endl. from Himalaya region in Pakistan

Summary The nodulation and the morphology and physiology of the nodules were studied onDatisca cannabina, a perennial herb from northern Pakistan andAlnus nitida, a nodulated tree in the same locality. Both species bear coralloid clusters of actinorhizal nodules. The main free amino acid inD. cannabina nodules was arginine while the predominant free amino acid inA. nitida nodules was citrulline. The infectivity of crushed nodules of both types of plants on their respective host was about 10⁶ infective particles per gram of nodule fresh wt. In cross-inoculation experiments crushed nodule inoculum fromA. nitida failed to induce nodulation onD. cannabina seedlings but the crushed nodule inoculum fromD. cannabina caused low nodulation on seedlings ofA. nitida (10³ infective particles. g. nodule fresh wt.).The activity of nitrogenase, hydrogenase and respiration (O₂ uptake) were measured in detached nodules, nodule homogenates and the 20 m residue and 20 m filtrate preparations from the nodules of both species. Both species showed similar patterns of activities except that only the nodule homogenate and 20 m residue preparations fromD. cannabina showed pronounced enhancement of the O₂ uptake by succinate which was further stimulated by ADP. This has in part been explained by the presence of mitochondria in close connection with the endophyte.     

Expression of Frankia nif genes in nodules of Alnus glutinosa

Expression of Frankia genes involved in nitrogen fixation was studied in Alnus glutinosa nodules using the in situ hybridization technique. The results show that high level expression of nif genes does not occur immediately upon infection of cortical cells by Frankia. Also, only in the infected cells near the tips of the nodule lobes, nif genes are expressed at high levels. In the majority of infected cells, nif gene expression is rather low.     

PCR-amplified 16S rRNA sequence analysis to confirm nodulation of Datisca cannabina L. by the endophyte of Coriaria nepalensis Wall

Different Frankia strains and crushed nodule suspensions were tested for their ability to nodulate Coriaria nepalensis and Datisca cannabina. Datisca cannabina seedlings were nodulated effectively by both crushed nodule suspension from Coriaria nepalensis and Datisca cannabina. The origin of the endophyte in Datisca nodules induced by crushed nodules of Coriaria was confirmed by comparing partial PCR-amplified 16S rRNA sequences with those of the endophytes of both plants. Coriaria seedlings could only be nodulated by crushed nodule suspensions of Coriaria nepalensis. All pure cultures of Frankia used as a single inoculum source or in combinations with a nodule filtrate, failed to induce nodulation on Coriaria. Two atypical Frankia strains Cn3 and Cn7 isolated from Coriaria nodules showed no acetylene reduction activity and did not induce nodulation on the host seedlings.     

Genetic diversity of Datisca cannabina-compatible Frankia strains as determined by sequence analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene.

The presence of Frankia strains in soil samples collected from northern areas of Pakistan was detected by inoculating Coriaria nepalensis and Datisca cannabina plants. The abundance of compatible Frankia strains in some areas was indicated by profuse nodulation of the host plants, whereas soil samples from other localities failed to result in nodulation. An oligonucleotide probe (COR/DAT) directed against the 16S rRNA gene of the endophytes of Coriaria and Datisca spp. that did not cross-react with the RNA gene of Frankia strains isolated from other hosts was developed. Genetic diversity among Frankia strains nodulating D. cannabina was determined by sequence analysis of the partial 16S rRNA gene amplified from nodules induced by soil samples from different localities by PCR. Four types of Frankia sequences and one non-Frankia sequence were detected by hybridization with a Frankia genus probe and the COR/DAT probe as well as by sequence analysis of the cloned PCR products.     

Molecular evolutionary dynamics of cytochrome b in strepsirrhine primates: the phylogenetic significance of third-position transversions

DNA sequences of the complete cytochrome b gene are shown to contain robust phylogenetic signal for the strepsirrhine primates (i.e., lemurs and lorises). The phylogeny derived from these data conforms to other molecular studies of strepsirrhine relationships despite the fact that uncorrected nucleotide distances are high for nearly all intrastrepsirrhine comparisons, with most in the 15%-20% range. Cytochrome b sequences support the hypothesis that Malagasy lemuriforms and Afro-Asian lorisiforms each comprise clades that share a sister- group relationship. A study (Adkins and Honeycutt 1994) of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) gene placed one Malagasy primate (Daubentonia) at the base of the strepsirrhine clade, thereby suggesting a diphyletic Lemuriformes. The reanalysis of COII third- position transversions, either alone or in combination with cytochrome b third-position transversions, however, yields a tree that is congruent with phylogenetic hypotheses derived from cytochrome b and other genetic data sets.      

Sucrose synthase and enolase expression in actinorhizal nodules ofAlnus glutinosa: comparison with legume nodules

Two different types of nitrogen-fixing root nodules are known — actinorhizal nodules induced byFrankia and legume nodules induced by rhizobia. While legume nodules show a stem-like structure with peripheral vascular bundles, actinorhizal nodule lobes resemble modified lateral roots with a central vascular bundle. To compare carbon metabolism in legume and actinorhizal nodules, sucrose synthase and enolase cDNA clones were isolated from a cDNA library, obtained from actinorhizal nodules ofAlnus glutinosa. The expression of the corresponding genes was markedly enhanced in nodules compared to roots. In situ hybridization showed that, in nodules, both sucrose synthase and enolase were expressed at high levels in the infected cortical cells as well as in the pericycle of the central vascular bundle of a nodule lobe. Legume sucrose synthase expression was studied in indeterminate nodules from pea and determinate nodules fromPhaseolus vulgaris by usingin situ hybridization.     

Detection of micro-organisms in soil after in situ hybridization with rRNA-targeted, fluorescently labelled oligonucleotides.

rRNA sequences were used as targets for synthetic oligonucleotides labelled with the fluorescent dye tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (Tritc) for in situ hybridizations to detect micro-organisms directly in soils that have different contents of soil minerals and organic material. Introduced Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells were directly fixed in soils and applied to slides after separation of large soil minerals only. Remaining soil minerals (clay minerals) and organic material (up to 8%) did not significantly interfere with signal expression after hybridization. Background signals were mainly caused by autofluorescence of organic material. Non-specific binding of labelled oligonucleotides to soil particles was not observed. In situ detection of introduced cells of Pseudomonas cepacia in a sandy loam spiked with a mixture of selected soil micro-organisms was possible after hybridization with a specific probe. Analysis of natural bacterial populations in soil, however, was not possible by in situ hybridization without activation of these micro-organisms by adding nutrients. Growing cells, e.g. Streptomyces scabies hyphae growing in amended soil, were easily detected.