Analysis of Different Types of Competitive Capacity in the Alfalfa Rhizobia (Sinorhizobium meliloti) Tn5 Mutants

Nodulation, rhizospheral, and saprophytic types of competitiveness (NC, RC, and SC, respectively) were studied in the highly active strains CXM1-105 and CXM1-188 of the alfalfa rhizobium Sinorhizobium meliloti.The competitiveness was estimated with the use of markers of antibiotic resistance. It was found that the mutant strain T37, which was characterized by a drastically decreased NC, had higher SC and RC than the parental strain. The mutant T107 (with a moderately decreased NC) did not differ from the parental strain with respect to RC but had a higher SC. The mutant T27 (with the lowest NC) did not differ from the parental strain with respect to SC or RC. In the mutant Tb1, the NC and RC were decreased and the SC was the same as in the parental strain. In Tb7, the SC was decreased and RC was increased. In the mutant T795, all of the three types of competitiveness were decreased. The difference between the mutants studied and the parental strain with respect to NC and RC was confirmed using an indirect method (the ability to form effective symbiosis after mixed inoculation together with the an ineffective tester strain CXM1-48) and the X-Gluc staining method (using the S. melilotiRmM4gustester strain carrying the gene of -glucuronidase). However, the decreased SC that the mutants exhibited when they were cultivated together with parental strains in a plant-growth substrate (vermiculite) was not observed in the case of their cocultivation in liquid media. The independent variation of different types of competitiveness indicate that rhizobia have several separate gene systems determining their survival in in plantaandex plantaecological niches.     

Tn5-induced and spontaneous switching of Sinorhizobium meliloti to faster-swarming behavior

Tn5 mutants of Sinorhizobium meliloti RMB7201 which swarmed 1.5 to 2. 5 times faster than the parental strain in semisolid agar, moist sand, and viscous liquid were identified. These faster-swarming (FS) mutants outgrew the wild type 30- to 40-fold within 2 days in mixed swarm colonies. The FS mutants survived and grew as well as or better than the wild type under all of the circumstances tested, except in a soil matrix subjected to air drying. Exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis was reduced in each of the FS mutants when they were grown on defined succinate-nitrate medium, but the extent of reduction was different for each. It appears that FS behavior likely results from a modest, general derepression of motility involving an increased proportion of motile and flagellated cells and an increased average number of flagella per cell and increased average flagellar length. Spontaneous FS variants of RMB7201 were obtained at a frequency of about 1 per 10,000 to 20,000 cells by either enrichment from the periphery of swarm colonies or screening of colonies for reduced EPS synthesis on succinate-nitrate plates. The spontaneous FS variants and Tn5 FS mutants were symbiotically effective and competitive in alfalfa nodulation. Reversion of FS variants to wild-type behavior was sporadic, indicating that reversion is affected by unidentified environmental factors. Based on phenotypic and molecular differences between individual FS variants and mutants, it appears that there may be multiple genetic configurations that result in FS behavior in RMB7201. The facile isolation of spontaneous FS variants of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa indicates that switching to FS behavior may be fairly common among bacterial species. The substantial growth advantage of FS mutants and variants wherever nutrient gradients exist suggests that switching to FS forms may be an important behavioral adaptation in natural environments.     

Isolation and symbiotic characterization of transposon Tn5-induced arginine auxotrophs of Sinorhizobium meliloti

Seventeen arginine auxotrophic mutants of Sinorhizobium meliloti Rmd201 were isolated by random transposon Tn5 mutagenesis using Tn5 delivery vector pGS9. Based on intermediate feeding studies, these mutants were designated as argA/argB/argC/argD/argE (ornithine auxotrophs), argF/argI, argG and argH mutants. The ornithine auxotrophs induced ineffective nodules whereas all other arginine auxotrophs induced fully effective nodules on alfalfa plants. In comparison to the parental strain induced nodule, only a few nodule cells infected with rhizobia were seen in the nitrogen fixation zone of the nodule induced by the ornithine auxotroph. TEM studies showed that the bacteroids in the nitrogen fixation zone of ornithine auxotroph induced nodule were mostly spherical or oval unlike the elongated bacteroids in the nitrogen fixation zone of the parental strain induced nodule. These results indicate that ornithine or an intermediate of ornithine biosynthesis, or a chemical factor derived from one of these compounds is required for the normal development of nitrogen fixation zone and transformation of rhizobial bacteria into bacteroids during symbiosis of S. meliloti with alfalfa plants.     

Factor analysis of interactions between alfalfa nodule bacteria (Sinorhizobium meliloti) genes that regulate symbiotic nitrogen fixation

Factor analysis has been conducted for the data on the interaction between the genes of the root nodule bacteria (rhizobia), which influence the efficiency of symbiosis with leguminous plants, including dctA (encoding succinate permease), dctBD (activating the dctA gene due to binding its enhancer in the presence of succinate), rpoN (activating the promoters of dctA and nitrogenase genes nifHDK), and nifA (activating the nitrogenase genes due to binding their enhancers). The analysis of the alfalfa rhizobia (Sinorhizobium meliloti) recombinants that contain additional copies of these genes suggested the antagonistic (epistatic) interaction between nifA and rpoN. It may be associated either with the competition for C compounds imported into the nodules between the energy production and nitrogen assimilation processes or with the competition for redox potentials between the oxidative phosphorylation and nitrogen fixation processes. Since the phenotypic effects of the studied genes depend on the activity of nitrogen export into the aerial parts of plants, we suppose that its accumulation in bacteroids impairs the activation of the nifHDK genes by the NifA protein due to its interaction with the GlnB protein (the nitrogen metabolism regulator) or with the FixLJ and ActSR proteins (the redox potential regulators).     

利用Tn5-1063转座诱变法分离苜蓿中华根瘤菌042BM noeB基因的研究

采用三亲本杂交方法将带有Tn5-1063(含luxAB)的质粒pRL1063a导入苜蓿中华根瘤菌(Sinorhizobium meldoti)042BM,进行转座子插入诱变,在含有氯霉素、卡那霉素的TY平板上筛选接合子。通过结瘤试验,从1000个突变株中,筛选到3个结瘤突变株042BMR5、042BMR11和042BRM29。它们都表现出发光酶活性,表明转座子正向插入到基因组中的某个启动子下游。Southern杂交结果证实,转座子均为单一位点插入。对042BMR5突变株基因组进行反向PCR,扩增位于Tn5-1063两端的侧翼序列。测序结果表明,转座子插入到苜蓿中华根瘤菌的共生质粒pSymA noeB基因内。根据基因组中noeB上游和下游序列扩增出042BM noeB,其与苜蓿中华根瘤菌1021 noeB的同源性为98％,而与NoeB蛋白的氨基酸序列相似性为95％。疏水性分析发现,NoeB是一个跨膜蛋白,在N末端有4个跨膜区,其中包含3个初级螺旋和1个次级螺旋。     

Early symbiotic responses induced by Sinorhizobium meliloti iIvC mutants in alfalfa

A mutation in the ilvC gene of Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 determines a symbiotically defective phenotype. ilvC mutants obtained from different S. meliloti wild-type strains are able to induce root hair deformation on alfalfa roots and show variable activation of the common nodulation genes nodABC. All of these mutants are noninfective. The presence of extra copies of nodD3-syrM in an IlvC- background does not promote nod expression but allows the detection of low levels of Nod factor production. The sulphation of the Nod factor metabolites, however, is not affected. Furthermore, IlvC- strains induce a specific pattern of starch accumulation on alfalfa roots as well as of early nodulin expression. Hence, the pleiotropic action of the ilvC gene in S. meliloti may reveal novel complexities involved in the symbiotic interaction.     

Isolation of Sinorhizobium meliloti Tn5 mutants with altered cytochrome terminal oxidase expression and improved symbiotic performance

The relationship between whole-cell redox potential, cytochrome composition in free-living culture and symbiotic activity of Sinorhizobium meliloti was studied. Three Tn5-induced mutants with increased cellular redox potential were generated. Stationary cultures of mutants Tb9 and Tb16 in contrast to the parental strain produced the b-type terminal oxidase that may be similar to the symbiotically essential cytochrome oxidase cbb₃ of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Increase in the symbiotic effectiveness of all three mutants and in O₂ consumption rate in free-living cultures was observed. Mutants Tb1 and Tb16 were also characterized by an increase in fixNOQP gene expression. Consequently, the mutations probably affect at least two different steps of rhizobial respiratory metabolism operating both in free-living cells and endosymbiotic forms.     

Colonization behaviour of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Sinorhizobium meliloti in the alfalfa (Medicago sativa) rhizosphere

The colonization ability of Pseudomonas fluorescens F113rif in alfalfa rhizosphere and its interactions with the alfalfa microsymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti EFB1 has been analyzed. Both strains efficiently colonize the alfalfa rhizosphere in gnotobiotic systems and soil microcosms. Colonization dynamics of F113rif on alfalfa were similar to other plant systems previously studied but it is displaced by S. meliloti EFB1, lowering its population by one order of magnitude in co-inoculation experiments. GFP tagged strains used to study the colonization patterns by both strains indicated that P. fluorescens F113rif did not colonize root hairs while S. meliloti EFB1 extensively colonized this niche. Inoculation of F113rif had a deleterious effect on plants grown in gnotobiotic systems, possibly because of the production of HCN and the high populations reached in these systems. This effect was reversed by co-inoculation. Pseudomonas fluorescens F113 derivatives with biocontrol and bioremediation abilities have been developed in recent years. The results obtained support the possibility of using this bacterium in conjunction with alfalfa for biocontrol or rhizoremediation technologies.     

Symbiosis between the root-nodule bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) under salinization conditions

Two hundred forty-three isolates of alfalfa root-nodule bacteria (Sinorhizobium meliloti) were obtained from nodules and soils sampled in the northern Aral region, experiencing secondary salinization. Isolates obtained from nodules (N isolates) were significantly more salt-tolerant than those from soils (T isolates) when grown in a liquid medium with 3.5% NaCl. It was found that wild species of alfalfa, melilot, and trigonella preferably formed symbioses with salt-tolerant root-nodule bacteria in both salinized and nonsalinized soils. Only two alfalfa species, Medicago falcata and M. trautvetteri, formed efficient symbioses in soils contrasting in salinity. The formation of efficient symbiosis with alfalfa in the presence of 0.6% NaCl was studied in 36 isolates (N and T) differing in salt tolerance and symbiotic efficiency. Fifteen isolates formed efficient symbioses in the presence of salt. The increase in the dry weight of the plants was 25–68% higher than in the control group. The efficiency of symbiotic interaction under salinization conditions depended on the symbiotic efficiency of the isolates under standard conditions but did not correlate with the source of root-nodule bacteria (soil or nodule) or their salt tolerance. The results indicate that the strains of root-nodule bacteria forming efficient symbioses under salinization conditions can be found.     

Symbiosis between the nodule bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) under salinization conditions

Two hundred forty-three isolates of alfalfa nodule bacteria (Sinorhizobium meliloti) were obtained from legume nodules and soils sampled in the northern Aral region, experiencing secondary salinization. Isolates obtained from nodules (N isolates) were significantly more salt-tolerant than those from soils (S isolates) when grown in a liquid medium with 3.5% NaCl. It was found that wild species of alfalfa, melilot, and trigonella preferably formed symbioses with salt-tolerant nodule bacteria in both salinized and nonsalinized soils. Only two alfalfa species, Medicago falcata and M. trautvetteri, formed efficient symbioses in soils contrasting in salinity. The formation of efficient symbiosis with alfalfa in the presence of 0.6% NaCl was studied in 36 isolates (N and S) differing in salt tolerance and symbiotic efficiency. Fifteen isolates formed efficient symbioses in the presence of salt. The increase in the dry weight of the plants was 25-68% higher than in the control group. The efficiency of symbiotic interaction under salinization conditions depended on the efficiency of the isolates under standard conditions but did not correlate with the source of nodule bacteria (soil or nodule) or their salt tolerance. The results indicate that nodule bacterium strains forming efficient symbioses under salinization conditions can be found.     

Ultrastructural analysis of ineffective alfalfa nodules formed by nif::Tn5 mutants of Rhizobium meliloti.

Ineffective alfalfa nodules formed by Rhizobium meliloti nif::Tn5 mutants were examined by light and electron microscopy. R. meliloti nifH::Tn5 mutants formed nodules that were similar in structure to wild-type nodules except that nifH- bacteroids accumulated a compact, electron-dense body. In contrast to nodules induced by wild type and nifH mutants, nifDK- R. meliloti mutants induced nodules which contained numerous starch grains and prematurely senescent bacteroids. In addition, meristematic activity in nifDK- nodules ceased significantly earlier than in nifH- nodules. All mutant nodules exhibited elevated levels of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi membranes compared to wild-type nodule cells. These elevated levels may reflect either a response to nitrogen starvation in the ineffective nodules or an abnormal synthesis and export of nodule-specific proteins during later developmental stages.     

Genetic diversity and dynamics of Sinorhizobium meliloti populations nodulating different alfalfa cultivars in Italian soils

We analyzed the genetic diversity of 531 Sinorhizobium meliloti strains isolated from nodules of Medicago sativa cultivars in two different Italian soils during 4 years of plant growth. The isolates were analyzed for DNA polymorphism with the random amplified polymorphic DNA method. The populations showed a high level of genetic polymorphism distributed throughout all the isolates, with 440 different haplotypes. Analysis of molecular variance allowed us to relate the genetic structure of the symbiotic population to various factors, including soil type, alfalfa cultivar, individual plants within a cultivar, and time. Some of these factors significantly affected the genetic structure of the population, and their relative influence changed with time. At the beginning of the experiment, the soil of origin and, even more, the cultivar significantly influenced the distribution of genetic variability of S. meliloti. After 3 years, the rhizobium population was altered; it showed a genetic structure based mainly on differences among plants, while the effects of soil and cultivar were not significant.     

苜蓿中华根瘤菌matB基因的克隆及其功能的研究

通过同源性分析,发现苜蓿中华根瘤茵（Sinorhizobium meliloti）菌株Rm1021中matB基因与三叶草生物型豌豆根瘤茵（Rhizobium leguminosarum by．trifolii）和慢生型大豆根瘤茵（Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110）中编码丙二酸单酰辅酶A合成酶（malonyl-CoA synthetase）基因在氨基酸水平上分别达到了75％和67％一致性,具有高度同源性。因此,从Rml021中克隆出matB基因,并在大肠埃希菌（Escherichiacoli）中进行体外诱导表达和纯化。纯化的MatB蛋白具有丙二酸单酰辅酶A合成酶的活性,测定的Km值是710μmol,Vmax是0．209μmol／min／mg。     

Purification and characterization of pyridoxine 5'-phosphate phosphatase from Sinorhizobium meliloti

Here we report the purification and biochemical characterization of a pyridoxine 5'-phosphate phosphatase involved in the biosynthesis of pyridoxine in Sinorhizobium meliloti. The phosphatase was localized in the cytoplasm and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by a combination of EDTA/lysozyme treatment and five chromatography steps. Gel-filtration chromatography with Sephacryl S-200 and SDS/PAGE demonstrated that the protein was a monomer with a molecular size of approximately 29 kDa. The protein required divalent metal ions for pyridoxine 5'-phosphate phosphatase activity, and specifically catalyzed the removal of Pi from pyridoxine and pyridoxal 5'-phosphates at physiological pH (about 7.5). It was inactive on pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate and other physiologically important phosphorylated compounds. The enzyme had the same Michaelis constant (K(m)) of 385 muM for pyridoxine and pyridoxal 5'-phosphates, but its specific constant [maximum velocity (V(max))/K(m)] was nearly 2.5 times higher for the former than for the latter.     

Deficiency of a Sinorhizobium meliloti BacA mutant in alfalfa symbiosis correlates with alteration of the cell envelope

The BacA protein is essential for the long-term survival of Sinorhizobium meliloti and Brucella abortus within acidic compartments in plant and animal cells, respectively. Since both the S. meliloti and B. abortus bacA mutants have an increased resistance to bleomycin, it was hypothesized that BacA was a transporter of bleomycin and bleomycin-like compounds into the bacterial cell. However, our finding that the S. meliloti bacA mutant also has an increased sensitivity to detergents, a hydrophobic dye, ethanol, and acid pH supported a model in which BacA function affects the bacterial cell envelope. In addition, an S. meliloti lpsB mutant that is defective at a stage in infection of the host similar to that found for a bacA mutant is also sensitive to the same agents, and the carbohydrate content of its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is altered. However, analysis of crude preparations of the bacA mutant LPS suggested that, unlike that for LpsB, BacA function did not affect the carbohydrate composition of the LPS. Rather, we found that at least one function of BacA is to affect the distribution of LPS fatty acids, including a very-long-chain fatty acid thought to be unique to the alpha-proteobacteria, including B. abortus.     

Expression of a Serratia marcescens chitinase gene in Sinorhizobium fredii USDA191 and Sinorhizobium meliloti RCR2011 impedes soybean and alfalfa nodulation.

A gene encoding chitinase from Serratia marcescens BJL200 was cloned into a broad-host-range vector (pRK415) and mobilized into Sinorhizobium fredii USDA191. Chitinolytic activity was detected in S. fredii USDA191 transconjugants that carried the S. marcescens chiB gene. Chitinase-producing S. fredii USDA191 formed nodules on soybean cultivar McCall. However, there was a delay in nodule formation and a marked decrease in the total number of nodules formed by the chitinase-producing S. fredii in comparison with the wild-type strain. Expression of chitinase in S. meliloti RCR2011 also impeded alfalfa nodulation. Thin-layer chromatography of 14C-labeled Nod factors from chitinase-producing S. fredii USDA191 revealed hydrolysis of lipochitooligosaccharides.