Characterization of two genes (hupD and hupE) required for hydrogenase activity in Azotobacter chroococcum

In Azotobacter chroococcum the hydrogenase structural genes (hupSL) cover about 2.8 kb of a 15-kb region associated with hydrogen-uptake (Hup) activity. Two other genes in this region, hupD and hupE, were located 8.9 kb downstream of hupL and were shown to be essential for hydrogenase activity by insertion mutagenesis. A fragment of DNA beginning 3.4 kb downstream of hupL was able to complement the hupE mutant, supporting earlier evidence for a promoter downstream of hupSL. Hybridization experiments showed that hupD and hupE share some similarity with a region of Alcaligenes eutrophus DNA which is apparently involved in the formation of catalytically active hydrogenase. The hupD gene encodes a 379-amino acid, 41.4-kDa polypeptide while hupE codes for a 341-amino acid, 36.1-kDa product. The predicted amino acid sequences of the hupD and hupE genes are homologous to the Escherichia coli hypD and hypE gene products, respectively. A polar mutation in hupD had no effect on beta-galactosidase activity in a strain also carrying a hupL-lacZ fusion, indicating that hupD and hupE are probably not involved in regulating hydrogenase structural gene expression.     

毛豆根瘤菌转吸氢基因的研究

通过三亲本杂交将携带豌豆根瘤菌吸氢基因的质粒pAL₆₁₈转移到台湾毛豆根瘤菌292-C中,经抗性筛选、质粒检测和吸氢活性测定,得到能稳定遗传的结合株292-C₂和292-C₃。在自生条件下结合株均表现较高的吸氢活性,而受体株292-C不吸氢,在共生条件下结合株表现为高吸氢,而受体株表现为放氢。     

浑球红细菌Rhodobacter sphaeroides吸氨酶(hup)基因簇的分离与鉴定

以Rhodobactercapsulatus的hopS’L基因DNA片段为探针,通过Southem杂交,从构建的Rhodobactersphaeroides601基因库中调取hup基因。阳性克隆Cosmid1可与Hup突变株JP91（HupS－）、RCC8（HupR-）以及BSE8（HupT-）互补,而Cosmid3和Cosmid9只能与BSE8互补;试验所产生的接合转移子均恢复了吸氢酶的活性和自养生长能力、将Cosmidl的3．5kbPstⅠ和4．5kbBamHⅠ片段分别亚克隆到pWY11和pWY10中。pWY11和pWY10的部分DNA序列与R．capsulatus中的相关基因具有很高的同源性,从而证明了所得到的Cosmid1确实含有R．sphaeroides的基因簇。     

Investigation of the form of selenium in the hydrogenase from chemolithotrophically cultured Bradyrhizobium japonicum

It has been established that the hydrogenase from autotrophically cultured Bradyrhizobium japonicum contains selenium as a bound constituent. About 80% of the enzyme selenium remains bound during precipitation with 5% trichloroacetic acid (TCA). However, 85% of the selenium bound to the enzyme is released by a combined treatment of urea, heat and TCA. Neither selenomethionine nor selenocysteine could be detected on analysis of anaerobically hydrolyzed enzyme. These results are consistent with the report showing that the structural genes for this enzyme do not contain a TGA codon (Sayavedra-Soto et al. 1988) which has been reported to code for selenocysteine incorporation into several proteins (Chambers et al. 1986; Zinoni et al. 1986; Stadtman 1987). We have demonstrated that ⁷⁵Se from the labeled hydrolyzed enzyme forms the derivative' selenodicysteine. The form of selenium resulting in the synthesis of this derivative apparently is SeO _inf3 ^sup= or a compound such as Se⁼ which is easily oxidized to SeO _inf3 ^sup= . In a separate approach it was established that 12–16% of the total ⁷⁵Se in the native enzyme reacted with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene indicating that this fraction was present as SeO _inf3 ^sup= . The remaining ⁷⁵Se was bound to the enzyme protein. From this research, we concluded that Se in Bradyrhizobium japonicum hydrogenase is present in a labile bound form. In this respect, this enzyme is similar to xanthine dehydrogenase and nicotinic acid hydroxylase, both of which contain labile Se constituents that have not been defined.Technical paper no. 8980 from the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station     

Degradation of catechin by Bradyrhizobium japonicum

Rhizobia utilize phenolic substances as sole carbonsource. Bradyrhizobium japonicum utilizescatechin, a unit of condensed tannin as carbonsource. To establish the degradative pathway ofcatechin, the products of catechin degradation wereisolated by paper chromatography and TLC andidentified by HPLC, UV, IR and NMR spectra. B.japonicum cleaves catechin through catechinoxygenase. Phloroglucinolcarboxylic acid andprotocatechuic acid were identified as the initialproducts of degradation. Phloroglucinolcarboxylicacid is further decarboxylated to phloroglucinolwhich is dehydroxylated to resorcinol. Resorcinolis hydroxylated to hydroxyquinol. Protocatechuicacid and hydroxyquinol undergo intradiol cleavagethrough protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase andhydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenase to form-carboxy cis, cis-muconic acidand maleylacetate respectively. The enzymes ofcatechin degradative pathway are inducible. Estimation of all the enzymes involved in thecatabolism of catechin reveals the existence of acatechin degradative pathway in B. japonicum.     

Correlation between nitrate uptake rate and nitrate inhibition of nitrogenase activity in Azotobacter chroococcum

In Azotobacter chroococcum cells exhibiting both nitrate (nitrite) assimilation ability and nitrogen fixation capability, the extent of nitrogenase activity inhibition by nitrate or nitrite positively correlated (r = 0.922) with the rate of nitrate (nitrite) taken up by the cells. These results corroborate our previous proposal that the anion must be assimilated to exert its inhibitory effect, and indicate that the inhibition is a graded rather than an all-or-none process.     

Rapid and efficient selection of recombinant site-directed mutants of Bradyrhizobium japonicum by colony hybridization

Abstract Due to the high incidence of spontaneous antibiotic resistance and slow growth of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains, screening for site-directed mutants is cumbersome and time-consuming. A rapid method for selection of recombinant site-directed mutants of B. japonicum was developed. A kanamycin (Km) and a spectinomycin (Sp) cassette were each used to replace DNA fragments in the chromosome by homologous recombination. The primary new features of this method involve a simple plate selection for the antibiotic (Km or Sp) resistant mutants, then colony streaking, and lysis for DNA hybridization on a nitrocellulose filter enabling direct identification of the recombinant site-directed mutants. This method has permitted us to quickly and easily identify a large number of positive recombinant mutants from a large number of indicidual colonies. The procedure eliminates the need to first isolate genomic DNA from each mutant for Southern hybridization. All of the tested site-directed mutants from this method were confirmed to exhibit the expected mutant phenotype.     

Increased divalent metal ion uptake associated with hydrogenase constitutive phenotypes of Bradyrhizobium japonicum

Hydrogenase-constitutive (Hup^c) mutants of Bradyrhizobium japonicum were previously shown to accumulate more nickel than the wild-type strain. In a 2 h period Hup^c strains JH101 and JH103 also accumulated 2- to 3-fold more Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺, and about 4-fold more Co²⁺ and Mn²⁺ than the wild-type strain JH. Init uptake rates (first 10 min) by the Hup^c strains were also greater for all the metals. The mutation in the Hup^c strains affecting a trans-acting regulator of the hup structural genes appears to have also amplified a metal uptake/accumulation process common to many divalent metal ions. From efflux experiments (suspension of cells in metal-free medium after metal accumulation) to determine the degree of dissociation of each metal with the cells it was concluded that Zn²⁺, like Ni²⁺, was rapidly and tightly cell-associated. In contrast, about 50% of the accumulated Cu²⁺ and about 30% of the Mn²⁺ was effluxed within 2 h by both the Hup^c and wild-type strains. Cobalt was more tightly cell-associated than Mn²⁺ or Cu²⁺, as the strains effluxed about 26% of the previously accumulated metal in 2 h. Even after accounting for effluxed metal, the Hup^c strains retained more of each metal than the wild-type. The increased metal accumulation by Hup^c strains could not be accounted for solely at the level of transport, as known metabolic inhibitors (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and nigericin) of nickel transport partially inhibited (1 h) accumulation of only some (magnesium, zinc and copper) of the other metals. Hydrogenase-derepressed wild-type cells exhibited slightly higher (22–27% more) 2 h accumulation capacity for some of the metals (nickel, zinc and copper) than did non-derepressed cells, but not to the 2- to 4-fold greater level observed for Hup^c strains compared with the wild-type. The Hup^c strains JH101 and JH103 do not synthesize more capsular/cell wall carbohydrate than the wild-type strain.     

Nickel-dependent reconstitution of hydrogenase apoprotein in Bradyrhizobium japonicum Hupc mutants and direct evidence for a nickel metabolism locus involved in nickel incorporation into the enzyme

A double mutant (JH103K10) was created from hydrogenase constitutive mutant (JH103) by replacement of a chromosomal 0.60 kb nickel metabolism related locus with a kanamycin resistance gene. The double mutant required 10 to 20 times more nickel (Ni) to achieve near parental strain levels of hydrogenase activity. In the absence of nickel, both JH103K10 and JH103 synthesized high levels of (inactive) hydrogenase apoprotein (large subunit, 65 kDa). With nickel, the double mutant JH103K10 synthesized the same level of hydrogenase apoenzyme (65-kDa subunit) as the JH103 parent strain; however, whole cell hydrogenase activity in JH103K10 was less than half of that in JH103, and the CPM (due to ⁶³Ni in hydrogenase) of membranes and the calculated ratio of nickel per unit of hydrogenase enzyme of the double mutant were 40% of that in JH103. Therefore, the difference in hydrogenase activities between the double mutant and the Hup^ck strain can be accounted for by different abilities of the strains to incorporate nickel into the hydrogenase apoenzyme. The addition of nickel ions to previously Ni-starved and then chloramphenicol-treated Bradyrhizobium japonicum whole cells (JH103 and JH103K10) resulted in (an in vivo) restoration of hydrogenase activity, suggesting that the apoprotein synthesized in the Ni-free cultures could be activated by addition of nickel even in the absence of protein synthesis. The extent of reconstitution of active hydrogenase by nickel was greater in the absence of chloramphenicol. Hydrogenase apoprotein could not be activated by nickel in vitro even with the addition of ATP. The successful in vivo but not in vitro results suggest that enzymatic but cell-disruption labile factors are required for Ni incorporation into hydrogenase.     

Transfer and maintenance of IncP and IncW group plasmids into and between extra-slow-growing Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains

Abstract IncP group plasmid pRL180 was conjugally transferred from Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA928 into extra-slow-growing (ESG) Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains and between ESG strains, RJ17W and RJ12S. pRL180 was integrated into the chromosome of RJ12S, RJ17W and RJ19FY. ESG strains efficiently transferred pRL180 into Escherichia coli at about a 3 × 10⁻⁵ frequency. IncW group plasmid pTY97 was transferred in intergeneric matings from E. coli into ESG strains at a high frequency of 2.5 × 10⁻³; between RJ17W and RJ12S transfer was about 5.6 × 10⁻⁴. pTY97 was maintained as an R' plasmid in RJ12S. The R' plasmid was resolved upon transfer into E. coli C where only pTY97 was autonomously replicated.     

Chemotaxis and growth of Bradyrhizobium japonicum in the presence of fine-dispersed silica

The chemotactic properties of the soybean nodule bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum were studied in the presence of synthetic fine-dispersed materials. It was shown that fine-dispersed silica (FDS) and its variety modified with aluminum oxide (MFDS) reduce bacterial chemotaxis to glucose. In addition, FDS increases the irregular motility of B. japonicum, and MFDS decreases it. This is in agreement with the effect of the materials on the rate of nodule bacterium growth.     

Cloning and characterization of hydrogenase genes from Azotobacter chroococcum

Summary Genomic DNA from Azotobacter chroococcum was shown by DNA hybridization to contain sequences homologous to Rhizobium japonicum H₂-uptake (hup) hydrogenase genes carried on the plasmid pHU1. Two recombinant cosmid clones, pACD101 and pACD102, were isolated from a gene library of A. chroococcum by colony hybridization and physically mapped. Each contained approximately 42 kb of insert DNA with approximately 27 kb of overlapping DNA. Further hybridization studies using three fragments from pHU1 (6 kb HindIII, 6.4 kb BglII and 5 kb EcoRI) showed that the hup-specific regions of R. japonicum and A. chroococcum are probably highly conserved. Weak homology to the hydrogenase structural genes from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough) was also observed. A 24 kb BamHI fragment from pACD102 subcloned into a broad host-range vector restored hydrogenase activity to several Hup^- mutants of A. chroococcum.     

Lack of O‐polysaccharide enhances biofilm formation by Bradyrhizobium japonicum

Aims: To reveal the effects of the O‐polysaccharide antigen of Bradyrhizobium japonicum LPS on biofilm formation and motility. Methods and Results: Wild type and O‐antigen‐deficient mutant strains of B. japonicum were tested for biofilm formation on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) surfaces and motility on semi‐solid (0·3%) agar media. After 7 days of incubation, the amount of biofilms formed by the mutant was c. 3·5‐fold greater than that of the wild type. Unlike biofilm formation, the motility assay revealed that the mutant strain was less motile than the wild type. Conclusions: This study shows enhanced biofilm formation and decreased motility by the O‐antigen‐deficient mutant, suggesting that the lack of the O‐polysaccharide of the rhizobial LPS is associated with biofilm‐forming ability and movement. Significance and Impact of the Study: LPS plays an important role in both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria. It has also been reported that LPS deficiency negatively affects biofilm formation. However, our results demonstrate that the O‐antigen‐deficient mutant enhances biofilm formation, presumably through a significant increase in hydrophobicity. It is notable that the hydrophobicity of cell walls might be a key regulator in controlling biofilm development in B. japonicum.     

用平截末端使大豆根瘤菌苹果酸脱氨酶基因插入失活及电激法转化

本实验用平截末端连接法把卡那霉素抗性基因插入到大豆根瘤菌（Ｂｒａｈｙｒｈ;ｚｏｂｉｕｍｊａｐｏｎｉｃｕｍ）１１０的苹果酸脱氢酶（ｍｄｈ）基因中,致使ｍｄｈ基因失活,再通过电激法把这一重组基因转入大豆根瘤菌（Ｂｒａｈｙｒｈｉｚｏｂｉｕｍｊａｐｏｎｉｃｕｍ）２１４３中,进而探讨ｍｄｈ基因失活对大豆固氮作用的影响。     

Growth enhancement of Sesamum indicum L. by rhizosphere-competent Azotobacter chroococcum AZO2 and its antagonistic activity against Macrophomina phaseolina

Indigenous strains isolated from rhizosphere may contain highly competent genotypes to enhance the plant growth and often perform better than the introduced isolates. The present study deals with the characterisation of plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes and antagonistic activity of Azotobacter chroococcum AZO2 against Macrophomina phaseolina causing charcoal rot disease and their effect on the growth of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Eight strains of Azotobacter were isolated from sesame rhizosphere on nitrogen-free medium, which exhibited significant PGP parameters such as phosphate solubilisation, indole acetic acid and siderophore production. The strain A. chroococcum AZO2 (EU274299) was characterised by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Amplification of 781 bp nif H gene confirms nitrogenase activity of all the strains. A. chroococcum AZO2 exhibited strong antagonistic activities against M. phaseolina causing 81% colony growth inhibition and resulted in hyphal perforations, empty cell (halo) formation, hyphal twisting, shrinking and lysis of fungal mycelia along with degeneration of sclerotia. A. chroococcum AZO2 produced chitinase that caused degradation and digestion of the cell wall component of M. phaseolina. Different vegetative and reproductive parameters of sesame were found to be enhanced significantly upon application of A. chroococcum AZO2 + half doses of chemical fertilisers. A. chroococcum AZO2 was also found to be an effective root coloniser, plant growth promoter and potential antagonistic bacterium. It can be concluded that A. chroococcum AZO2 strain bears the characteristics of technological applications for inoculant preparation and growth enhancement of sesame besides being utilised as a better PGP bacterium as well as an effective agent for biocontrol of M. phaseolina.     

Chitinases produced by Paenibacillus illinoisensis and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. pakistani degrade Nod factor from Bradyrhizobium japonicum

Chitinases are enzymes that hydrolyze internal β-1,4-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine linkages of chitin. Since the backbone of Nod factors is a chitin oligomer, we investigated whether chitinases produced by soil bacteria Paenibacillus illinoisensis KJA-424 and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Pakistani HD 395 are able to degrade Nod factor produced by Bradyrhizobium japonicum, a phenomenon that could disrupt B. japonicum-soybean signaling and nodule establishment when chitinases are present. Purified Nod factor [LCO Nod Bj-V (C_18:1, MeFuc)] was isolated from Bradyrhizobium japonicum and incubated with crude chitinases isolated from KJA-424 and HD395, with or without acetate buffer.

After 15 h of incubation, Nod factor in the resulting solution was quantified by HPLC. Degradation was greatest following treatment with KJA-424 (91.9%) and HD395 (86.5%) chitinases in acetate buffer. Treatments that included acetate buffer had higher levels of degradation than those without. For all treatments degradation was greater than 77%.     

含吸氢酶基因（hup）嵌合质粒的构建和吸氢酶活性在阴沟肠杆菌中的表达

以质粒ｐＲＫ４０４为载体亚克隆含大豆根瘤菌吸氢酶结构基因（ｈｕｐ）的片段,构建成嵌合质粒ｐＨＲ１１、ｐＨＲ４和ｐＨＲ１０。通过三亲本杂交将这些嵌合质粒导入无吸氢活性的Ｒｈｏｄｏｂａｃｔｅｒｓｐｈａｅｒｏｉｄｅｓ２４１菌株（Ｈｕｐ－）,均获得Ｈｕｐ＋的接合子。利用启动子检测质粒ｐＭＰ２２０证明,在ｈｕｐ对结构基因上游１．２ｋｂ内存在ｈｕｐ启动基因片段。以ｐＲＫ２０１３为助质粒可将ｐＨＲ１１导入Ｅｎｔｅｒｏｂａｃｔｅｒｃｌｏａｃａｅ和Ｋｌｅｂｓｉｅｌｌａｏｘｙｔｏｃａ等土壤固氮菌株。本文以接合子Ｅ．ｃｌｏａｃａｅＥＨ１１１３为例,通过对基因组ＤＮＡＳｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交分析证明,嵌合质粒ｐＨＲ１１在ＥＨ１１１３中稳定贮存和复制。Ｈ２诱导接合子ＥＨ１１１３吸氢酶活性高表达,吸氢活性与放氢活性比值约为对照的两倍。当以延胡索酸为电子受体时,吸氢酶的吸氢作用支持菌株固氮酶活性的提高。     

导入dctABD和parCBA／DE基因提高大豆慢生根瘤菌固氮皎效率和稳定？…

以ｐＬＡＦＲ３为载体构建重组质粒ｐＨＮ２０７,携带有来自苜蓿根瘤菌（Ｓｉｎｏｒｈｉｚｏｂｉｕｍ ｍｅｌｉｌｏｔｉ）的四碳二羧酸转移酶基因ｄｃｔＡＢＤ、来自ｐＴＲ１０２的ｐａｒＣＢＦＡ／ＤＥ基因和标记发光酶基因ｌｕｘＡＢ。利用２亲本杂交法,将重组质粒ｐＨＮ２０７导入大豆慢生根瘤菌（Ｂｒａｄｙｒｈｉｚｏｂｉｕｍ ｊａｐｏｎｉｃｕｍ）ＴＡ１１和ＣＢ１８０９,分别考察了转移接合子中外源重组质粒在人工培养条