<Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> siderophores with antifungal activity against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum acutatum</Emphasis>

Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum is one of the most important diseases in strawberry crop. Due to environmental pollution and resistance produced by chemical fungicides, nowadays biological control is considered a good alternative for crop protection. Among biocontrol agents, there are plant growth-promoting bacteria, such as members of the genus Azospirillum. In this work, we demonstrate that under iron limiting conditions different strains of A. brasilense produce siderophores, exhibiting different yields and rates of production according to their origin. Chemical assays revealed that strains REC2 and REC3 secrete catechol type siderophores, including salicylic acid, detected by thin layer chromatography coupled with fluorescence spectroscopy and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Siderophores produced by them showed in vitro antifungal activity against C. acutatum M11. Furthermore, this latter coincided with results obtained from phytopathological tests performed in planta, where a reduction of anthracnose symptoms on strawberry plants previously inoculated with A. brasilense was observed. These outcomes suggest that some strains of A. brasilense could act as biocontrol agent preventing anthracnose disease in strawberry.     

Interaction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glomus intrarradix</Emphasis> in Sugar Cane Roots

Fifteen-day-old variety NA 56-79 sugar cane seedlings were inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense and Glomus intrarradix. This article aims at examining changes in sugar cane root seedlings inoculated with Glomus intrarradix and Azospirillum brasilense, the increase in microbial biomass and the acetylene reduction process as well. The internal root colonization was studied 20 days after inoculation using scanning and a transmission electron microscope. Both microorganisms entered the sugar cane root through the emergent lateral roots. The microorganisms were capable of coexisting both intra and intercellularly, producing changes in the cell wall, thus allowing colonization and interaction between the organisms. These changes increased the number of microorganisms inside the root as well as acetylene nitrogen reduction. Sugar cane plant biomass increased with joint-inoculation. The number of endophytic microorganisms and nitrogen fixing activity increased when they were colonized by Azospirillum and Glomus together.     

Study of immunochemical heterogeneity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> lipopolysaccharides

A comparative immunochemical analysis of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in Azospirillum brasilense model strains Sp7 and Sp245 and in mutants with altered somatic antigens has been performed. According to the results of a complex of various immunochemical methods, including studies with polyclonal antibodies against the LPS these bacteria, their LPS consist of an assembly of macromolecules with different antigenic characteristics. Two types of O-specific polysaccharides (O-PS) are present in the LPS of every strain of A. brasilense under study. The major difference between the two O-PS is the antigenic heterogeneity of one of them. This heterogeneous O-PS has been shown to possess at least two O-factors (antigenic determinants) different in their structure. Meanwhile, according to all the tests performed, the other O-PS in every strain is immunochemically homogeneous and identical to one of the determinants revealed in the more diversified O-PS. The LPS heterogeneity among the given strains may be due to the pattern of O-specific polysaccharide synthesis, one of the O-PS being an intermediate in the synthesis of the other.     

Phenol Oxidase Activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> Sp245 Mutants with Modified Motility and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> Sp7 Phase Variants with Different Plasmid Composition

Herein, we reveal the alteration in phenol oxidase enzymes complex production from Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 omegon mutants with polar and lateral flagella dysfunction and from A. brasilense Sp7 phase variants with different plasmid composition. The enzymatic activities for various laccases, tyrosinases, Mnperoxidases, and lignin peroxidases as well as the isomorphic composition of intracellular laccases and tyrosinases were estimated for the studied variants and the parent strains. It was noted that various genetic events correlating with phenotypic heterogeneity in A. brasilense populations affect their phenol oxidase activity level.     

Detection of a sheath on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> polar flagellum

The presence of a polysaccharide sheath on the surface of the polar flagellum of Azospirillum brasilense was revelted by immunoelectron microscopy and immunodiffusion analysis with strain-specific antibodies to lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The antigenic identity of A. brasilense Sp245 sheath material and one of the two O-specific polysaccharides of its somatic LPS was demonstrated. The screening effect of the sheath in respect to flagellin was determined by agglutination tests and by the inhibition of azospirilla motility in liquid and semisolid agarized media caused by strain-specific antibodies to LPS; no pronounced effect of genus-specific antibodies to flagellin was observed.     

Role of Arabidopsis <Emphasis Type="Italic">ABF1</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">3</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">4</Emphasis> during <Emphasis Type="Italic">det1</Emphasis> germination in salt and osmotic stress conditions

Key message

Arabidopsis det1 mutants exhibit salt and osmotic stress resistant germination. This phenotype requires HY5, ABF1, ABF3, and ABF4.

Abstract

While DE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1) is well known as a negative regulator of light development, here we describe how det1 mutants also exhibit altered responses to salt and osmotic stress, specifically salt and mannitol resistant germination. LONG HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) positively regulates both light and abscisic acid (ABA) signalling. We found that hy5 suppressed the det1 salt and mannitol resistant germination phenotype, thus, det1 stress resistant germination requires HY5. We then queried publically available microarray datasets to identify genes downstream of HY5 that were differentially expressed in det1 mutants. Our analysis revealed that ABA regulated genes, including ABA RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING FACTOR 3 (ABF3), are downregulated in det1 seedlings. We found that ABF3 is induced by salt in wildtype seeds, while homologues ABF4 and ABF1 are repressed, and all three genes are underexpressed in det1 seeds. We then investigated the role of ABF3, ABF4, and ABF1 in det1 phenotypes. Double mutant analysis showed that abf3, abf4, and abf1 all suppress the det1 salt/osmotic stress resistant germination phenotype. In addition, abf1 suppressed det1 rapid water loss and open stomata phenotypes. Thus interactions between ABF genes contribute to det1 salt/osmotic stress response phenotypes.

     

Growth and phosphorus removal by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechococcus elongatus</Emphasis> co-immobilized in alginate beads with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis>

This study examined the co-immobilization of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense in alginate beads and its potential application for the removal of phosphorus from aquaculture wastewater. Co-immobilization of both microorganisms significantly increased the cell density of S. elongatus (2852.5?×?10⁴ cells mL^?1) compared with that of immobilization of cyanobacteria alone (1325.2?×?10⁴ cells mL^?1). Chlorophyll a content was similar in co-immobilized (11.1?±?3.5 pg cell^?1) and immobilized S. elongatus (14.5?±?4.9 pg cell^?1). Azospirillum brasilense showed continuous growth until day 2, after which its cell concentration declined until the end of the assay. Co-immobilized S. elongatus removed more phosphorus (44.8 %) than immobilized cyanobacteria cells alone (32.0 %). In conclusion, phosphate removal was greater with free cells of S. elongatus but overlapped with the values that were obtained with the treatment of co-immobilization of cells. Our results demonstrate that A. brasilense enhances the growth of S. elongatus and improves its removal of phosphorus when they are co-immobilized in alginate beads compared with only immobilization of cyanobacteria cells alone.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">chsA,</Emphasis> a new gene controlling the chemotactic response in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> Sp7

We report, here, the characterization of a mutant strain of Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 impaired in surface motility and chemotactic response. Presence of flagella in the mutant strain was confirmed by western blot analysis, using antisera raised against the polar and lateral flagellins, and by electron microscopy. Genetic complementation and nucleotide sequencing led to the identification of a new gene, named chsA. The deduced translation product, ChsA protein, contained a PAS sensory domain and an EAL domain. As ChsA displayed characteristic signaling protein architecture, it is thought that this protein is a component of the signaling pathway controlling chemotaxis in Azospirillum.     

Parasitism <Emphasis Type="Italic">versus</Emphasis> mutualism in the ant-garden parabiosis between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camponotus femoratus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crematogaster levior</Emphasis>

Ant-gardens represent a special type of association between ants and epiphytes. Frequently, two ant species can share the same nest in a phenomenon known as ‘parabiosis’, but the exact nature (i.e., mutualistic or parasitic) of this interaction is the subject of debate. We thus attempted to clarify the mutual costs and benefits for each partner (ants and plants) in the Crematogaster levior/Camponotus femoratus ant-garden parabiosis. The ants’ response to experimental foliar damage to the epiphytes and to the host tree as well as their behavior and interactions during prey capture were investigated to see if the purported parasitic status of Cr. levior could be demonstrated in either the ant-ant or in the ant-plant interactions. The results show that both species take part in protecting the epiphytes, refuting the role of Cr. levior as a parasite of the ant-garden mutualism. During capture of large prey Ca. femoratus took advantage from the ability of Cr. levior to discover prey; by following Cr. levior trails Ca. femoratus workers discover the prey in turn and usurp them during agonistic interactions. Nevertheless, the trade-off between the costs and benefits of this association seems then to be favorable to both species because it is known that Cr. levior benefits from Ca. femoratus building the common carton nests and furnishing protection from vertebrates. Consequently, parabiosis can then be defined as the only mutualistic association existing between ant species, at least in ant-gardens. Received 31 August 2006 ; revised 8 December 2006 ; accepted 12 December 2006     

The Electron Transfer Flavoprotein <Emphasis Type="Italic">fixABCX</Emphasis> Gene Products from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> Show a NifA-Dependent Promoter Regulation

The complete nucleotide sequence of the A. brasilense fixA, fixB, fixC, and fixX genes is reported here. Sequence similarities between the protein sequences deduced from fixABCX genes and many electron transfer flavoproteins (ETFs) have been noted. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of both subunits of ETF with the A. brasilense fixA and fixB gene products exhibits an identity of 30%. The amino acid sequence of the other two genes, fixC and fixX, revealed similarity with the membrane-bound electron transfer flavoprotein ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF-QO). Using site-directed mutagenesis, mutations were introduced in the fixA promoter element of the A. brasilense fixABCX operon and chimeric pfixA-lacZ reporter gene fusions were constructed. The activation of the fixA promoter of A. brasilense is dependent upon the presence of the NifA protein being approximately 7 times less active than the A. brasilense nifH promoter. These results indicate that NifA from Klebsiella pneumoniae activates the fix promoter of A. brasilense and provide further evidence in support of the regulatory model of NifA activation in A. brasilense. Although no specific function has been assigned to the fixABCX gene products they are apparently required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. An electron-transferring capacity in the nitrogen fixation pathway has been suggested for the fix gene products based on sequence homologies to the ETFs and ETF-QO proteins and by the absence of orthologous electron transfer proteins NifJ and NifF in A. brasilense.     

Structural properties of capsular and O-specific polysaccharides of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> Sp245 under varying cultivation conditions

Effect of the carbon source in the culture medium and of the growth phase on the composition and structure of the capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) and lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) of the bacterium Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 was studied. Growth with fructose resulted in an increased carbohydrate content in the CPSs, while long-term cultivation resulted in an increased content of phosphorus in both CPSs and LPSs. The LPSs produced on the medium with fructose (regardless of the cultivation duration) and the LPSs of the bacteria grown with sodium malate until the stationary phase were characterized by higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids than the LPSs of the bacteria grown with sodium malate to the late exponential phase. The structures of the polysaccharides from the isolated glycopolymers were established using monosaccharide analysis, including determination of the absolute configurations and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. This study is the first to report that the CPS of A. brasilense Sp245 grown with sodium malate to the end of the exponential phase is structurally identical to the O-polysaccharide from the LPS of this bacterium and that the LPS and CPS of A. brasilense Sp245 grown with fructose contain an additional homoglucan of the following structure: [→3)-α-D-Glcp-(1→] _n .     

The plant growth promoting bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> is vertically transmitted in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus vulgaris</Emphasis> (common bean)

Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a serious menace to agricultural production worldwide. In order to prevent further damage, it is of paramount important that cost-effective strategies should be developed for their management. Gut bacteria has established diverse relationships with their insect hosts, which could be exploited in pest management programs to improve on control efficiency. In this study, gut bacteria isolates identified by culture dependent technique were incorporated into larval diets in an attempt to understand the roles they play in the development and survival of oriental fruit fly. From our results, the isolated bacteria belonged to four different phyla including the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The response of the fly to different gut isolates varied greatly. Diets enriched with Enterococcus phoeniculicola had lower larval developmental duration, higher pupal weight, and an increased percentage survival. On the other hand, diets supplemented with Lactobacillus lactis had negative effects on B. dorsalis development. This study provides clues on how symbiotic bacteria could be exploited in mass rearing for an efficient implementation of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) in pest management programs.     

Diverse morphological types of dormant cells and conditions for their formation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis>

Differences in generation of dormant forms (DF) were revealed between two strains of non-sporeforming gram-negative bacteria Azospirillum brasilense, Sp7 (non-endophytic) and Sp245 (endophytic strain). In post-stationary ageing bacterial cultures grown in a synthetic medium with a fivefold decreased initial nitrogen content, strain Sp7 formed two types of cyst-like resting cells (CRC). Strain Sp245 did not form such types of DF under the same conditions. CRC of the first type were formed in strain Sp245 only under phosphorus deficiency (C > P). The endophytic strain was also shown to form structurally differentiated cells under complete starvation, i.e. at a transfer of early stationary cultures, grown in the media with C > N unbalance, to saline solution (pH 7.2). These DF had a complex structure similar to that of azotobacter cysts. The CRC, which are generated by both azospirilla strains and belong to distinct morphological types, possessed the following major features: absence of division; specific ultrastructural organization; long-term maintenance of viability (for 4 months and more); higher heat resistance (50–60°C, 10 min) as compared with vegetative cells, i.e. the important criteria for dormant prokaryotic forms. However, CRC of non-endophytic strain Sp7 had higher heat resistance (50, 55, 60°C). The viability maintenance and the portion of heat-resistant cells depended on the conditions of maturation and storage of CRC populations. Long-term storage (for 4 months and more) of azospirilla DF populations at ?20°C was optimal for maintenance of their colony-forming ability (57% of the CFU number in stationary cultures), whereas the largest percentage of heat-resistant cells was in CRC suspensions incubated in a spent culture medium (but not in saline solution) at room temperature. The data on the intraspecies diversity of azospirilla DF demonstrate the relation between certain type DF formation to the type of interaction (non-endophytic or endophytic) with the plant partner and provide more insight into the adaptation mechanisms that ensure the survival of gram-negative non-spore-forming bacteria in nature.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>1<Emphasis Type="Italic">/copia</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>3<Emphasis Type="Italic">/gypsy</Emphasis>-like DNA sequences in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus </Emphasis>species

Two repeated DNA sequences isolated from a partial genomic DNA library of Helianthus annuus, p HaS13 and p HaS211, were shown to represent portions of the int gene of a Ty3 /gypsy retroelement and of the RNase-Hgene of a Ty1 /copia retroelement, respectively. Southern blotting patterns obtained by hybridizing the two probes to BglII- or DraI-digested genomic DNA from different Helianthus species showed p HaS13 and p HaS211 were parts of dispersed repeats at least 8 and 7 kb in length, respectively, that were conserved in all species studied. Comparable hybridization patterns were obtained in all species with p HaS13. By contrast, the patterns obtained by hybridizing p HaS211 clearly differentiated annual species from perennials. The frequencies of p HaS13- and p HaS211-related sequences in different species were 4.3x10(4)-1.3x10(5) copies and 9.9x10(2)-8.1x10(3) copies per picogram of DNA, respectively. The frequency of p HaS13-related sequences varied widely within annual species, while no significant difference was observed among perennial species. Conversely, the frequency variation of p HaS211-related sequences was as large within annual species as within perennials. Sequences of both families were found to be dispersed along the length of all chromosomes in all species studied. However, Ty3 /gypsy-like sequences were localized preferentially at the centromeric regions, whereas Ty1/ copia-like sequences were less represented or absent around the centromeres and plentiful at the chromosome ends. These findings suggest that the two sequence families played a role in Helianthusgenome evolution and species divergence, evolved independently in the same genomic backgrounds and in annual or perennial species, and acquired different possible functions in the host genomes.     

Immunoelectron microscopy investigation of the cell surface of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> strains

The genus-specific surface protein antigens of Azospirillum brasilense strains were visualized immunochemically. The procedure used for cell sample preparation was optimized to ensure that the surface protein structures were detected on cells in situ. Gold and gold-silver nanoparticles were conjugated to antibodies raised against the flagellin of A. brasilense type strain Sp7, against the lipopolysaccharide of A. brasilense Sp245, and against the genus-specific protein determinants of A. brasilense Sp7. Electron microscopic analysis using nanoparticle-labeled antibodies revealed antigenic determinants of the polar flagellum on the A. brasilense Sp245 cell surface, which in these bacteria are normally screened from the surroundings by a lipopolysaccharide sheath. Pili-like structures were detected on the Sp245 wild-type strain and on its Fla^– Swa^– Omegon-Km mutant SK048, which are presumably involved in microcolonial spreading in these bacteria.     

Revision of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis> species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penstemon</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccanthera</Emphasis> subsection <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis>

A revision of Penstemon sect. Saccanthera subsect. Serrulati includes a new species (P. salmonensis), a new variety (P. triphyllus var. infernalis), and the elevation of a subspecies to species (P. curtiflorus), bringing the total number of species to eight, which are keyed and described, complete with nomenclature and type citations.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Galleria</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">mellonella</Emphasis> are Resistant to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pneumocystis</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">murina</Emphasis> Infection

Studying Pneumocystis has proven to be a challenge from the perspective of propagating a significant amount of the pathogen in a facile manner. The study of several fungal pathogens has been aided by the use of invertebrate model hosts. Our efforts to infect the invertebrate larvae Galleria mellonella with Pneumocystis proved futile since P. murina neither caused disease nor was able to proliferate within G. mellonella. It did, however, show that the pathogen could be rapidly cleared from the host.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">tumefaciens</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of callus cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crataegus</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">aronia</Emphasis>

A genetic transformation system has been developed for callus cells of Crataegus aronia using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Callus culture was established from internodal stem segments incubated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 5 mg l⁻¹ Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ 6-benzyladenine (BA). In order to optimize the callus culture system with respect to callus growth and coloration, different types and concentrations of plant growth regulators were tested. Results indicated that the best average fresh weight of red colored callus was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1.5 mg l⁻¹ kinetin (Kin) (callus maintenance medium). Callus cells were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium harboring the binary plasmid pCAMBIA1302 carrying the mgfp5 and hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII) genes conferring green fluorescent protein (GFP) activity and hygromycin resistance, respectively. Putative transgenic calli were obtained 4 weeks after incubation of the co-cultivated explants onto maintenance medium supplemented with 50 mg l⁻¹ hygromycin. Molecular analysis confirmed the integration of the transgenes in transformed callus. To our knowledge, this is the first time to report an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system in Crataegus aronia.