Chemotaxis of rhizoplane bacteria to amino acids comprising eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) root exudate

Scanning electron microscopy showed a large bacterial population on Zostera marina L. roots. The five dominant motile rhizoplane bacteria isolated were chemotactically attracted to Z. marina root exudate. Dansylation and thin-layer chromatography analysis of root exudate identified the presence of serine, threonine, glycine, alanine, and valine. When gentamicin sulfate was added during exudate collection, serine, and threonine were not detected. Exudate amino acids were shown to chemotactically attract motile rhizoplane isolates.     

Glycanase activities associated with cell walls ofCicer arietinum L. epicotyls

The effect of the proteins extracted with 1 M LiCl from theCicer arietinum etiolated epicotyl cell walls on the degradation of polysaccharides extracted with alkali was studied. The hemicellulosic polysaccharides were fractionated into three fractions extracted with 4 % KOH, 4 % KOH containing 8 M urea, and 24 % KOH. The protein extract showed exo-glycanase activity against all three hemicellulosic fractions whilst endo-glycanase activity was shown mainly against the hemicellulosic polysaccharides extracted with 4% KOH.     

Effect of Nitrate and Aminoethoxyvinylglycine on Cicer Arietinum L. Nodules

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cv. HC-1 was raised in earthen pots filled with dune sand in screenhouse. At vegetative stage, i.e. 40 – 45 d after sowing, 10, 20 and 40 mM NO₃ ^– was applied through rooting medium. After 24 h of NO₃ ^– treatments an ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) in concentration 5 M was given. A conspicuous increase in (5 – 9 fold) ethylene evolution in nodules was noticed after NO₃ ^– treatments. This rise was parallel to the increase in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content and ACC oxidase activity. On the contrary, a sharp decline in ACC content, ACC oxidase activity and ethylene evolution was observed when AVG was given. A decrease of in acetylene reduction assay (ARA) with NO₃ ^– treatments was associated with decline in cytosolic pH (from 6.12 to 5.45), leghemoglobin (Lb) content, accumulation of H₂O₂ and with the loss of membrane integrity. The lipid peroxidation, followed as MDA production and electrolyte leakage increased with NO₃ ^– treatments, however, the level of MDA was brought down in AVG-treated nodules. Results confirm that ethylene might be involved in mechanism by which the functioning of nodules is adversely affected by NO₃ ^–.     

凤眼莲根分泌物氨基酸组分对根际肠杆菌属F_2细菌的趋化作用

凤眼莲（Ｅｉｃｈｈｏｒｎｉａｃｒａｓｓｉｐｅｓ）的根分泌物中含有Ｍｅｔ等多种氨基酸,其中Ｍｅｔ、ＧＡＢＡ、Ｇｌｙ、Ａｌａ、Ａｓｐ、Ｓｅｒ、Ｖａｌ和Ｌｅｕ（１０－７～１０－２ｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１）均对凤眼莲的根际肠杆菌属Ｆ２（Ｅｎｔｅｒｏｂａｃｔｅｒｓｐ．Ｆ２）细菌有强烈的正趋化作用;Ｇｌｕ、Ｔｈｒ和Ｈｉｓ（１０－７～１０－３ｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１）也对该菌有一定的正趋化作用;而Ｌｙｓ、Ｃｙｓ、Ａｒｇ、Ｔｙｒ、Ｐｒｏ、Ａｓｎ、Ｇｌｎ、Ｉｌｅ、Ｐｈｅ和Ｔｙｐ则对该菌表现出一定的负趋化作用．对细菌的正趋化作用存在一个趋化物的最适浓度范围．具有正趋化作用的氨基酸在凤眼莲根际的浓度都较高,而具有负趋化作用的浓度则较低,这正是凤眼莲与该根际细菌结合为根际微生态系统的原因之一．     

Effect of water stress on functioning and structure ofCicer arietinum L. nodules

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. 235) plants were grown in sand culture at moisture equal to 45–50% of sand saturation capacity under greenhouse conditions. 60 d after sowing, pots were divided into four lots, leaving one as control and sand moisture content of others was brought to 25–30% (S₁), 12–15% (S₂) and 5–6% (S₃) of sand saturation capacity, by withholding the water supply and then maintaining the required levels gravimetrically till the harvest. Relative water content of leaves and nodule water content were measured as indices of water stress. With increase in the severity and duration of water stress nitrogenase activity and nitrogen and leghemoglobin content of the nodules decreased and the ratio of leghemoglobin components I and II were changed. Nodules developed under limited water availability showed decreased branching, breakdown of the endodermis, greater compactness and decreased vacuolation of cells in the central symbiotic tissue as compared to the control.     

Observations on the ultrastructure ofFrankia sp. in root nodules ofDatisca cannabina L.

Summary The fine structures of the microsymbiont inside the root nodules ofDatisca cannabina have been studied by light, by transmission- and by scanning-electron microscopy. The endophyte is prokaryotic and actinomycetal in nature. The hyphae are septate and branched, diameter 0.3–0.5 m. The tips of hyphae are swollen to form electron-dense, clubshaped to filamentous vesicles, ranging in diameter: 0.4–1.4 m. The endophyte penetrates through walls of the cortial cells. The infected zone is kidney shaped and confined to one side of the acentric stele. The orientation of infection is reversed from other actinorhizae exceptCoriaria. The hyphae are near the host cell wall and vesicles are directed towards the central vacuole. Vesicles are aseptate and no collapsing of the vesicle cell wall (void area) has been observed. Vesicle clusters structures are globular with an opening at one side of the cluster. The host cell is multinucleate or contains a lobed nucleus. Groups of mitochondria are located in between the hyphae, suggesting a strong association between the host and the endophyte for energy supply and amino acid production. The consequences of the inability to separate the mitochondria from the vesicle clusters in nodule homogenates in physiological studies have been discussed.Isolated vesicles clusters showed dehydrogenase activity, indicated by the presence of formazan crystals, after incubation with NADH and NBT. Strongest reducing activity was found within the vesicles. The possible role of filamentous vesicles in nitrogen fixation has been discussed.     

凤眼莲根分泌物氨基酸组分对根际肠杆菌属F2细菌的趋化作用

凤眼莲(Eichhornia crassipes)的根分泌物中含有Met等多种氨基酸,其中Met、GABA、Gly、Ala、Asp、Ser、Val和Leu(10^-7～10^-2mol·L^-1)均对凤眼莲的根际肠杆菌属F₂(Enterobacter sp.F₂)细菌有强烈的正趋化作用;Glu、Thr和His(10^-7～10^-3mol·L^-1)也对该菌有一定的正趋化作用;而Lys、Cys、Arg、Tyr、Pro、Asn、Gln、Ile、Phe和Typ则对该菌表现出一定的负趋化作用.对细菌的正趋化作用存在一个趋化物的最适浓度范围.具有正趋化作用的氨基酸在凤眼莲根际的浓度都较高,而具有负趋化作用的浓度则较低,这正是凤眼莲与该根际细菌结合为根际微生态系统的原因之一.     

Chemotaxis of Silicibacter sp. strain TM1040 toward dinoflagellate products

The alpha-proteobacteria phylogenetically related to the Roseobacter clade are predominantly responsible for the degradation of organosulfur compounds, including the algal osmolyte dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). Silicibacter sp. strain TM1040, isolated from a DMSP-producing Pfiesteria piscicida dinoflagellate culture, degrades DMSP, producing 3-methylmercaptopropionate. TM1040 possesses three lophotrichous flagella and is highly motile, leading to a hypothesis that TM1040 interacts with P. piscicida through a chemotactic response to compounds produced by its dinoflagellate host. A combination of a rapid chemotaxis screening assay and a quantitative capillary assay were used to measure chemotaxis of TM1040. These bacteria are highly attracted to dinoflagellate homogenates; however, the response decreases when homogenates are preheated to 80 degrees C. To help identify the essential attractant molecules within the homogenates, a series of pure compounds were tested for their ability to serve as attractants. The results show that TM1040 is strongly attracted to amino acids and DMSP metabolites, while being only mildly responsive to sugars and the tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Adding pure DMSP, methionine, or valine to the chemotaxis buffer resulted in a decreased response to the homogenates, indicating that exogenous addition of these chemicals blocks chemotaxis and suggesting that DMSP and amino acids are essential attractant molecules in the dinoflagellate homogenates. The implication of Silicibacter sp. strain TM1040 chemotaxis in establishing and maintaining its interaction with P. piscicida is discussed.     

Chemotaxis of Ralstonia sp. SJ98 towards p-nitrophenol in soil

Bioremediation of contaminated sites has been accepted as an efficient and cheaper alternative to physicochemical means of remediation in several cases. Although chemotactic behaviour of many bacteria has been studied earlier and assays have been developed to study bacterial chemotaxis in semi-solid media, this phenomenon has never been demonstrated in soil. For bioremediation application it is important to know whether bacteria actually migrate through the heterogenous soil medium towards a gradient of a particular chemoattractant. In the present study we have successfully demonstrated bacterial chemotaxis of a Ralstonia sp. SJ98 in soil microcosm using qualitative and quantitative plate and tray assays. The migration of bacteria has been established using several methods such as plate counting, vital staining and flow cytometry and slot blot hybridization. A non-chemotactic p-nitrophenol utilizing strain Burkholderia cepacia RKJ200 has been used as negative control. Our work clearly substantiates the hypothesis that chemotactic bacteria may enhance in situ bioremediation of toxic pollutants from soils and sediments.     

Chemotaxis of Silicibacter sp. Strain TM1040 toward Dinoflagellate Products

The α-proteobacteria phylogenetically related to the Roseobacter clade are predominantly responsible for the degradation of organosulfur compounds, including the algal osmolyte dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). Silicibacter sp. strain TM1040, isolated from a DMSP-producing Pfiesteria piscicida dinoflagellate culture, degrades DMSP, producing 3-methylmercaptopropionate. TM1040 possesses three lophotrichous flagella and is highly motile, leading to a hypothesis that TM1040 interacts with P. piscicida through a chemotactic response to compounds produced by its dinoflagellate host. A combination of a rapid chemotaxis screening assay and a quantitative capillary assay were used to measure chemotaxis of TM1040. These bacteria are highly attracted to dinoflagellate homogenates; however, the response decreases when homogenates are preheated to 80°C. To help identify the essential attractant molecules within the homogenates, a series of pure compounds were tested for their ability to serve as attractants. The results show that TM1040 is strongly attracted to amino acids and DMSP metabolites, while being only mildly responsive to sugars and the tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Adding pure DMSP, methionine, or valine to the chemotaxis buffer resulted in a decreased response to the homogenates, indicating that exogenous addition of these chemicals blocks chemotaxis and suggesting that DMSP and amino acids are essential attractant molecules in the dinoflagellate homogenates. The implication of Silicibacter sp. strain TM1040 chemotaxis in establishing and maintaining its interaction with P. piscicida is discussed.     

Effect of applied nitrate on enzymes of ammonia assimilation in nodules ofCicer arietinum L.

Summary The relationship between N₂-fixation, nitrate reductase and various enzymes of ammonia assimilation was studied in the nodules and leaves ofC. arietinum. In the nodules of the plants growing on atmospheric nitrogen, maximum activities of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), asparagine synthetase (AS) and aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) were recorded just prior to maximum activity of nitrogenase. In nitrate fed plants, the first major peak of GDH and AS coincided with that of nitrate reductase in the nodules. With the exception of AS, application of nitrate decreased the activities of all these enzymes in nodules but not in leaves. Activities of GS, GOGAT and AAT were affected to much greater extent than that of GDH. On comparing the plants grown without nitrate and those with nitrate, the ratios of the activities of GDH/GS and GDH/GOGAT in nitrate given plants, increased by 4 and 12 fold, respectively. The results presented in this paper suggest that in nodules of nitrate fed plants, assimilation of ammonia via GDH assumes much greater importance.     

Chemotaxis of a Ralstonia sp. SJ98 toward co-metabolizable nitroaromatic compounds

We have earlier reported chemotaxis of a Gram-negative, motile Ralstonia sp. SJ98 towards p-nitrophenol (PNP), 4-nitrocatechol (NC), o-nitrobenzoate (ONB), p-nitrobenzoate (PNB), and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (MNP) that also served as sole source of carbon and energy to the strain [S.K. Samanta, B. Bhushan, A. Chauhan, R.K. Jain, Biochem. Biophy. Res. Commun. 269 (2000) 117; B. Bhushan, S.K. Samanta, A. Chauhan, A.K. Chakraborti, R.K. Jain, Biochem. Biophy. Res. Commun. 275 (2000) 129]. In this paper, we report chemotaxis of a Ralstonia sp. SJ98 toward seven different nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) by drop assay, swarm plate assay, and capillary assay. These NACs do not serve as sole carbon and energy source to strain SJ98 but are partially transformed in the presence of an alternate carbon source such as succinate. This is the first report showing chemotaxis of a bacterial strain toward co-metabolizable NACs.     

The level of proteins and leakage of solutes in germinating fresh and stored seeds ofCicer arietinum L.

One-year-old seeds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. C-235) lost about 23 % germinability and leaked larger quantities of N, P, K, saccharides and proteins into the soaking medium in the first 48 h, as compared with fresh seeds. The protein content in stored seeds decreased more than in fresh seeds, as the soaking progressed.     

Herbicide effects on the growth and nodulation potential ofRhizobium trifolii withTrifolium subterraneum L.

A study was made of the effect of the herbicides 2,4-D, amitrole, atrazine, chlorsulfuron, diclofop-methyl, diquat, glyphosate, paraquat and trifluralin on the nodulation of sub-clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. ‘Clare’), the growth ofR. trifolii TA1 in liquid nutrient medium and the ability of herbicide-treated inoculum to successfully nodulate sub-clover plants. As concentrations of amitrole, diclofop-methyl and glyphosate in the rooting environment increased from 0 to 20 mg ai L⁻¹, nodulation decreased linearly. The other herbicides at these concentrations caused more severe decreases in nodulation. Growth ofR. trifolii TA1 in nutrient broth was significantly retarded by all concentrations of diquat, 2 mg ai L⁻¹ of paraquat, 10 mg ai L⁻¹ of glyphosate and 2 mg ai L⁻¹ of chlorsulfuron. Other herbicides did not suppress rhizobial growth. Inoculation with TA1 that had been grown in the presence of amitrole, atrazine or glyphosate and then washed free of the herbicide decreased nodulation of sub-clover, indicating that these herbicides may physiologically influence the nodulating potential of certain strains of Rhizobium. The remaining herbicides showed no indications of this effect.     

Early recognition in the Rhizobium meliloti-alfalfa symbiosis: root exudate factor stimulates root adsorption of homologous rhizobia.

Adsorption of Rhizobium meliloti to alfalfa roots before their infection and nodule formation shows the specificity of the symbiotic association (G. Caetano-Anollés and G. Favelukes, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 52:377-382, 1986). The time course of specific adsorption of R. meliloti (10(3) to 10(4) cells per ml) to roots shows an initial lag period of 3 h, suggesting that either or both symbionts must become conditioned for the adsorption process. Preincubation of R. meliloti L5-30 for 3 h with dialyzed alfalfa root exudate (RE) markedly increased early adsorption of rhizobia to alfalfa roots. The activity in RE was linked to a nondialyzable, thermolabile, trypsin-sensitive factor(s), very different from the root-exuded flavonoid compounds also involved in early Rhizobium-legume interactions. The lack of activity in the RE from plants grown in 5 mM NO3- suggested its negative regulation by the nitrogen nutritional status of the plant. Preincubation of R. meliloti with heterologous clover RE did not stimulate adsorption of rhizobial cells to roots. A short pretreatment of RE with homologous (but not heterologous) strains eliminated the stimulatory activity from solution. The stimulation of adsorption of R. meliloti to alfalfa roots was strongly dependent on the growth phase of the rhizobia, being greater at the late exponential stage. Nevertheless, the capacity of R. meliloti L5-30 to eliminate from solution the stimulatory activity in RE appeared to be constitutive in the rhizobia. The low concentration of rhizobial cells used in these experiments was critical to detect the stimulation of adsorption. The early interaction of spontaneously released alfalfa root macromolecular factor(s) and free-living R. meliloti, which shows the specificity and regulatory properties characteristic of infection and nodulation, would be an initial recognition event in the rhizosphere which triggers the process of symbiotic association.     

Genome Annotation of Burkholderia sp. SJ98 with Special Focus on Chemotaxis Genes

Burkholderia sp. strain SJ98 has the chemotactic activity towards nitroaromatic and chloronitroaromatic compounds. Recently our group published draft genome of strain SJ98. In this study, we further sequence and annotate the genome of stain SJ98 to exploit the potential of this bacterium. We specifically annotate its chemotaxis genes and methyl accepting chemotaxis proteins. Genome of Burkholderia sp. SJ98 was annotated using PGAAP pipeline that predicts 7,268 CDSs, 52 tRNAs and 3 rRNAs. Our analysis based on phylogenetic and comparative genomics suggest that Burkholderia sp. YI23 is closest neighbor of the strain SJ98. The genes involved in the chemotaxis of strain SJ98 were compared with genes of closely related Burkholderia strains (i.e. YI23, CCGE 1001, CCGE 1002, CCGE 1003) and with well characterized bacterium E. coli K12. It was found that strain SJ98 has 37 che genes including 19 methyl accepting chemotaxis proteins that involved in sensing of different attractants. Chemotaxis genes have been found in a cluster along with the flagellar motor proteins. We also developed a web resource that provides comprehensive information on strain SJ98 that includes all analysis data (http://crdd.osdd.net/raghava/genomesrs/burkholderia/).