Carbon and nitrogen partitioning in young nodulated pea (wild type and nitrate reductase-deficient mutant) plants exposed to NH4NO3

Carbon and nitrogen partitioning was examined in a wild-type and a nitrate reductase-deficient mutant (A317) of Pisum sativum L. (ev. Juneau), effectively inoculated with two strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum (128C23 and 128C54) and grown hydroponically in medium without nitrogen for 21 days, followed by a further 7 days in medium without and with 5 mM NH₄NO₃. In wild-type symbioses the application of NH₄NO₃ significantly reduced nodule growth, nitrogenase (EC 1.7.99.2) activity, nodule carbohydrates (soluble sugars and starch) and allocation of [¹⁴C]-labelled (NO₃⁻, NH₄⁺, amino acids) in roots. In nodules, there was a decline in amino acids together with an increase in inorganic nitrogen concentration. In contrast, symbioses involving A317 exhibited no change in nitrogenase activity or nodule carbohydrates, and the concentrations of all nitrogenous solutes measured (including asparagine) in roots and nodules were enhanced. Photosynthate allocation to the nodule was reduced in the 128C23 symbiosis. Nitrite accumulation was not detected in any case. These data cannot be wholly explained by either the carbohydrate deprivation hypothesis or the nitrite hypothesis for the inhibition of symbiotic nitrogen fixation by combined nitrogen. Our result with A317 also provided evidence against the hypothesis that NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ or its assimilation products exert a direct effect on nitrogenase activity. It is concluded that more than one legume host and Rhizobium strain must be studied before generalizations about Rhizobium /legume interactions are made.     

Chemical characterization of two lipopolysaccharide species isolated from Rhizobium loti NZP2213

Phenol-water extraction of Rhizobium loti NZP2213 cells allowed a simultaneous isolation of two structurally different lipopolysaccharides, from the aqueous (LPS-W) and phenol (LPS-P) phase that differed in their sodium doexycholate-PAGE pattern and composition. LPS-W showed a profile indicating an R-type LPS; LPS-P had a cluster of poorly resolved bands in the high-molecular-weight region. LPS-P contained large amounts of 6-deoxy-l-talose (6dTal), and a small amount of 2-O-methyl-6-deoxy-talose (molar ratio 30:1), both of which were completely absent in LPS-W. Methylation analysis gave only one major product, 2,4-di-O-methyl-6dTal, indicating that the O-chain is composed of a homopolymer of 1,3-linked 6dTal, having the methylated 6dTal (2-O-me-6dTal) probably localized at the non-reducing end of the O-chain. This homopolymeric O-chain was additionally O-acetylated, as evidenced by GC-MS and by ¹³C NMR analysis. The lipid A moieties of both LPS-W and LPS-P showed almost identical composition, with six, different 3-OH fatty acids and with two, so far not described, long-chain 4-oxo-fatty acids, all being amide-linked, and with 27-OH-28:0 as the main ester-linked fatty acid. Lipid A was of the lipid A_DAG-type, i.e., having a (phosphorylated) 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-d-glucose-containing lipid A backbone. Lipid A_DAG is widespread among species of the -2 group of Proteobacteria, but has so far not been encountered in any other rhizobial or agrobacterial species.     

Regulation of the β-ketoadipate pathway in Rhizobium japonicum and bacteroids by succinate

Rhizobium japonicum 61-A-101 and its bacteroids catabolize phenol and p-hydroxybenzoate. With phenol as a carbon source, utilization started only after a prolonged lag phase while p-hydroxybenzoate was almost instantancously metabolized. Succinate, which supports rapid growth of Rhizobium japonicum, completely repressed respication of phenol; the oxidation of p-hydroxybenzoate was partially inhibited. Pyruvate, supporting slower growth than succinate, retarded the onset of phenol consumption but did not affect its maximum rate.Catabolite repression of phenol utilization by succinate appears to be a characteristic feature of rhizobia. In Pseudomonas putida which also actively metabolizes phenol, succinate had no effect on phenol utilization.     

Schistosoma japonicum: Cloning, expression and characterization of a gene encoding the α5-subunit of the proteasome

The development of an effective vaccine against the schistosome is thought to be the most desirable means to control schistosomiasis, even though there is an effective means of chemotherapy with praziquantel. A full-length cDNA encoding the Schistosoma japonicum proteasome subunit alpha type 5 protein (SjPSMA5) was first isolated from 18-day-schistosomulum cDNAs. The cDNA had an open reading frame (ORF) of 747 bp and encoded 248 amino acids. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that SjPSMA5 is up-regulated in 18-day and 32-day schistosomes, and the level of expression in male is around fourfold higher than that in female worms at 42 days. The SjPSMA5 was subcloned into pET28a(+) and expressed as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells. Western blotting showed that the recombinant SjPSMA5 (rSjPSMA5) was immunogenic. After immunization of BALB/c mice with rSjPSMA5, reductions of 23.29% and 35.24% were obtained in the numbers of worms and eggs in the liver, respectively. The levels of specific IgG antibodies and cells were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the group vaccinated with rSjPSMA5 combined with Seppic 206 adjuvant than in the other groups, as detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry. The study suggested that rSjPSMA5 induced partial immunoprotection against S. japonicum in BALB/c mice, and it could be a potential vaccine candidate against schistosomiasis.     

Factors affecting co-inoculation with antibiotic-producing bacteria to enhance rhizobial colonization and nodulation

Co-inoculation with antibiotic-producing bacteria and rhizobia resistant to those antibiotics has been proposed as a means of promoting colonization and nodulation of legumes by root-nodule bacteria. A study was conducted to establish some of the factors affecting co-inoculation with antibiotic-producing strains of Bacillus and Streptomyces griseus. The stimulation of Rhizobium meliloti and yield and N uptake by alfalfa was enhanced with increasing inoculum size of Bacillus sp. S. griseus and chitin added to soil increased nodulation of soybeans by Bradyrhizobium japonicum and increased nodulation, yield, and number of pods on a second crop grown in the same soil. Bacillus sp. persisted in soil in sufficient numbers for at least 51 days to increase colonization of soybean roots by B. japonicum. The populations of S. griseus, Bacillus sp., and antibiotic-resistant isolates of R. meliloti and B. japonicum fell after their addition to seeds. Nevertheless, a benefical effect by the antibiotic-producing bacteria was evident on R. meliloti colonization of the rhizosphere, nodulation, and yield of alfalfa grown from seeds stored 94 days and on B. japonicum colonization, nodule number, yield, and seed weight of soybeans grown from seeds stored 90 days. Because non-antibiotic-producing derivatives of Bacillus sp. and S. griseus did not promote colonization or nodulation of alfalfa roots by R. meliloti, the benefit of this co-inoculation is a result of antibiotic formation.     

The role of formate metabolism in nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium Spp.

Formate metabolism supported nitrogen-fixation activity in free-living cultures of Rhizobium japonicum. However, formate0dependent nitrogense activity was observed only in the presence of carbon sources such as glutamate, ribose or aspartate which by themselves were unable to support nitrogenase activity. Formate-dependent nitrogenase activity was not detected in the presence of carbon sources such as malate, gluconate or glycerol which by themselves supported nitrogenase activity. A mutant strain of R. japonicum was isolated that was unable to utilise formate and was shown to lack formate dehydrogenase activity. This mutant strain exhibited no formate-dependent nitrogenase activity. Both the wild-type and mutant strains nodulated soybean plants effectively and there were no significant differences in the plant dry weight or total nitrogen content of the respective plants. Furthermore pea bacteroids lacked formate dehydrogenase activity and exogenously added formate had no stimulatory effect on the endogenous oxygen uptake rate. The role of formate metabolism in symbiotic nitrogen fixation is discussed.Abbreviation FDH formate dehydrogenase     

寄主利它素对稻螟赤眼蜂寄生行为的影响

对稻螟赤眼蜂Trichogrammajaponicum(Ashmead)在寄主定位过程中所利用的寄主利它素的存在部位、作用方式及其应用效果作了初步研究。生测结果表明 :寄主利它素存在于三化螟Tryporyzaincertu las(Walker)卵块盖毛和成虫鳞片中 ,其中以盖毛中利它素含量最高 ,雌蛾鳞片次之 ,雄蛾鳞片含量最少。结果还表明盖毛在卵块上的完整性对稻螟赤眼蜂的寄主搜索行为有明显影响。室内应用效果表明利它素可以使稻螟赤眼蜂对寄主卵寄生率提高 1 0 %以上。     

黄土高原根瘤菌数值分类及DNA-DNA杂交

黄土高原位于我国内陆,气候比较干旱,生长的植被较少,水土流失严重,而有些豆科植物如锦鸡儿(Caragana sinica)、苦豆子(Sophora alopecuroides)、甘草(Glycyrrhiza uralensis)、苦马豆(Swainsoniasalsula)、洋槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)等却能很好生长.这些豆科植物的生长,在防风固沙、保持水土、绿化环境、作为饲用牧草等方面起着很重要的作用.但人们对于黄土高原野生豆科植物根瘤菌的研究尚很少.为此,作者在地处黄土高原的陕西、宁夏及甘肃的部分地区进行了广泛的根瘤菌资源调查.在此基础上,对分离的部分菌株进行了数值分类和DNA同源性分析.     

Expression from symbiotic promoters ofRhizobium meliloti inAzotobacter vinelandii andAzospirillum brasilense

InRhizobium meliloti, the promoter P1 of thenif HDK operon, and also the promoter P2, have earlier been shown to be active in the bacteria present in alfalfa root nodules, but not in the bacteria grown aerobically in culture. Here we have looked at the expression from P1 and P2 in two non-symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria,Azotobacter vinelandii andAzospirillum brasilense, using constructions in which the promoters are fused upstream of theβ-galactosidase gene. The promoter P1, but not P2, is active inA. vinelandii, while neither P1 nor P2 is active inAzospirillum brasilense.     

Infection of clover by plant growth promoting Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 267 and Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii studied by mTn5-gusA

Plant growth promoting Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 267, isolated from soil, produced pseudobactin A, 7-sulfonic acid derivatives of pseudobactin A and several B group vitamins. In coinoculation with Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii strain 24.1, strain 267 promoted clover growth and enhanced symbiotic nitrogen fixation under controlled conditions. To better understand the beneficial effect of P. fluorescens 267 on clover inoculated with rhizobia, the colonization of clover roots by mTn5-gusA marked bacteria was studied in single and mixed infections under controlled conditions. Histochemical assays combined with light and electron microscopy showed that P. fluorescens 267.4 (i) efficiently colonized clover root surface; (ii) was heterogeneously distributed along the roots without the preference to defined root zone; (iii) formed microcolonies on the surface of clover root epidermis; (iv) penetrated the first layer of the primary root cortex parenchyma and (v) colonized endophytically the inner root tissues of clover.