费氏中华根瘤菌共生质粒扩增对结瘤因子组分和共生固氮能力的影响

费氏中华根瘤菌(Sinorhizobium fredii)YC4能在大豆(Glycine max)和野大豆(G．soja)上形成正常固氮的根瘤．人工培养条件下用^14C标记的薄层层析(TLC)法检测根瘤菌产生的结瘤因子(LCOs)的结果表明,与其它4株费氏中华根瘤菌相比,YC4产生的LCOs含有较多的疏水性基团．从YC4菌株中分离到1株共生质粒发生了扩增的自发突变株YSC3,其产生的LCOs中含有较野生型菌株多的1个疏水性组分,28℃培养条件下产生的LCOs量亦较YC4显著增加．结瘤试验结果表明,YSC3菌株只能在大豆和野大豆上形成无效的根瘤．     

环境因子对植物叶绿体结构的影响

叶绿体是一种对环境变化敏感的细胞器,环境变化通常会直接造成叶绿体大小、位置、类囊体片层、淀粉粒数量等方面发生适应性变化.从上述几个方面综述了植物叶绿体结构时CO2 浓度、温度、光照、水分胁迫等环境因子及多因子复合作用的适应性变化,分析了该领域的研究特点及方向.     

Phloem‐derived γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) is involved in upregulating nodule N2 fixation efficiency in the model legume Medicago truncatula

Nitrogen fixation in legumes is downregulated through a whole plant N feedback mechanism, for example, when under stress. This mechanism is probably triggered by the impact of shoot‐borne, phloem‐delivered compounds. However, little is known about any whole‐plant mechanism that might upregulate nitrogen fixation, for example, under N deficiency. We induced emerging N‐deficiency through partial excision of nodules from Medicago truncatula plants. Subsequently, the activity and composition of the remaining nodules and shifts in concentration of free amides/amino acids in the phloem were monitored. Furthermore, we mimicked these shifts through artificial feeding of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) into the phloem of undisturbed plants. As a result of increased specific activity of nodules, N₂ fixation per plant recovered almost completely 4–5 d after excision. The concentration of amino acids, sugars and organic acids increased strongly in the upregulated nodules. A concomitant analysis of the phloem revealed a significant increase in GABA concentration. Comparable with the effect of nodule excision, artificial GABA feeding into the phloem resulted in an increased activity and higher concentration of amino acids and organic acids in nodules. It is concluded that GABA might be involved in upregulating nodule activity, possibly because of its constituting part of a putative amino acid cycle between bacteroids and the cytosol.     

Legume species identity and soil nitrogen supply determine symbiotic nitrogen-fixation responses to elevated atmospheric [CO2

In nitrogen (N)-limited systems, the response of symbiotic N fixation to elevated atmospheric [CO2] may be an important determinant of ecosystem responses to this global change. Experimental tests of the effects of elevated [CO2] have not been consistent. Although rarely tested, differences among legume species and N supply may be important. In a field free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment, we determined, for four legume species, whether the effects of elevated atmospheric [CO2] on symbiotic N fixation depended on soil N availability or species identity. Natural abundance and pool-dilution 15N methods were used to estimate N fixation. Although N addition did, in general, decrease N fixation, contrary to theoretical predictions, elevated [CO2] did not universally increase N fixation. Rather, the effect of elevated [CO2] on N fixation was positive, neutral or negative, depending on the species and N addition. Our results suggest that legume species identity and N supply are critical factors in determining symbiotic N-fixation responses to increased atmospheric [CO2].     

Carbon and nitrogen nutrition of nodulated roots of grain legumes

Abstract The spatial and temporal relationships between carbon (C) metabolism and nitrogen (N) nutrition in grain legumes are of great academic interest with the added bonus that any data for economically important species may ultimately prove useful to breeders and growers. So far there are no data which can be used to relate differences in carbon usage by any symbiotic association with differences in economic yield. Much research has focussed on the dependence of dinitrogen fixation on photosynthate supply, on the C–N relationships of nodulated roots and nodules and on diurnal and seasonal profiles of dinitrogen fixation. In all these aspects a plethora of responses have been described, often based on insufficiently proven measurement techniques; consequently unequivocal conclusions cannot be drawn. We know little about within-species differences due to cultivar, strain of Rhi-zobium or environment, or about the proportions of any heritable variations which might be sufficiently large to merit inclusion among the selection criteria of grain legume breeders.     

Multiple host-specificity loci of the broad host-range Rhizobium sp. NGR234 selected using the widely compatible legume Vigna unguiculata

Specificity in legume-Rhizobium symbiosis depends on plant and rhizobial genes. As our objective was to study broad host-range determinants of rhizobia, we sought a legume and a Rhizobium with the lowest possible specificity. By inoculating 12 different legumes with a heterogenous collection of 35 fast-growing rhizobia, we found Rhizobium sp. NGR234 to be the Rhizobium and Vigna unguiculata to be the plant with the lowest specificities. Transfer of cloned fragments of the Sym-plasmid pNGR234a into heterologous rhizobia, screening for extension of host-range of the transconjugants to include V. unguiculata, and restriction mapping of the Hsn- and overlapping clones, proved that there were at least three distinct Hsn-regions (HsnI, II, and III) on pNGR234a. HsnI is located next to nodD, HsnII is linked to nifKDH and HsnIII to nodC. In addition to nodulation of Vigna, HsnI conferred upon the transconjugants the ability to nodulate Glycine max, Macroptilium atropurpureum and Psophocarpus tetragonolobus. All three Hsn-regions, when transferred to the appropriate recipients, induced root-hair-curling on M. atropurpureum. Hsn-region III was able to complement a mutation in the host-range gene nodH of R. meliloti strain 2011. Homology to nod-box-sequences could be shown only for the sub-clones containing HsnII and HsnIII, thus suggesting different regulation mechanisms for HsnI and HsnII/III.     

Effect of NO3 on N2 fixation and nitrogenous solutes of xylem in two nodulated West African geocarpic legumes,Kersting's bean (Macrotyloma geocarpum L.) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.)

Nodulation, nitrogen (N₂) fixation and xylem sap composition were examined in sand cultured plants of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.) and Kersting's bean (Macrotyloma geocarpum L.) inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strain CB756 and supplied via the roots for a 4 week period from the third week onwards with different levels of (¹⁵N)-nitrate (0–15 mM). The separate contributions of nitrate and N₂ to plant nitrogen were measured by isotope dilution. Increasing levels of nitrate inhibited nodule growth (measured as dry matter or nodule N) of both species parallel with decreased dependence on symbiotically-fixed N. Specific nodule activity (N₂ fixed g nodule dry⁻¹ d⁻¹ of nodules) was reduced progressively with time in V. subterranea at higher (5 or 15 mM) levels of NO₃, but this was not so for M. geocarpum. Root xylem bleeding sap of both species showed ureides (allantoin and allantoic acid) as predominant (>90%) solutes of nitrogen when plants were relying solely on atmospheric N. Levels of ureide and glutamine decreased and those of asparagine and nitrate in xylem increased with increasing level of applied nitrate. Relative levels of xylem ureide-N were positively correlated (R²=0.842 for M. geocarpum and 0.556 for V. subterranea), and the ratio of asparagine to glutamine in xylem exudate negatively correlated (R²=0.955 for M. geocarpum and 0.736 for V. subterranea) with plant reliance on nitrogen fixation. The data indicate that xylem sap analyses might be useful for indirect field assays of nitrogen fixation by the species and that Kersting's bean might offer some potential as a symbiosis in which N₂ fixation is relatively tolerant of soil N.     

豆科植物共生结瘤的分子基础和调控研究进展

豆科植物与根瘤菌共生互作的结果导致了一个新的植物器官――根瘤的形成, 根瘤菌生活在根瘤中, 它们具有将氮气转化为能被植物同化的氨的能力。该文阐述了根瘤的形成过程和类型, 并主要以模式豆科植物蒺藜苜蓿(Medicago truncatula)和日本百脉根(Lotus japonicus)为例, 对近年来共生结瘤过程中宿主植物对根瘤菌结瘤因子的识别和信号传递、侵入线形成和固氮的分子基础, 以及宿主植物对根瘤形成的自主调控机制、环境中氮素营养对结瘤的影响研究进行了综述, 指出当前豆科植物与根瘤菌共生互作研究存在的问题, 并对今后的研究方向作了分析与展望。     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonize nonfixing root nodules of several legume species

Many legumes form tripartite symbiotic associations with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Rhizobia are located in root nodules and provide the plant with fixed atmospheric nitrogen, while AMF colonize plant roots and deliver several essential nutrients to the plant. Recent studies showed that AMF are also associated with root nodules. This might point to interactions between AMF and rhizobia inside root nodules. Here, we test whether AMF colonize root nodules in various plant-AMF combinations. We also test whether nodules that are colonized by AMF fix nitrogen. Using microscopy, we observed that AMF colonized the root nodules of three different legume species. The AMF colonization of the nodules ranged from 5% to 74% and depended on plant species, AMF identity and nutrient availability. However, AMF-colonized nodules were not active, that is, they did not fix nitrogen. The results suggest that AMF colonize old senescent nodules after nitrogen fixation has stopped, although it is also possible that AMF colonization of nodules inhibits nitrogen fixation.