R-prime plasmids from Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Rhizobium fredii

The formation of R-prime plasmids was selected in crosses involving soybean microsymbionts with genomic Tn5 insertions and carrying plasmid pJB3JI (with one IS2) copy as donors and Escherichia coli HB101 as recipient. Whereas the parent plasmid was 60 kb, recombinant plasmids between 76 kb and 121 kb were obtained. Restriction and Southern analyses confirmed the mobilization of Tn5 on four R-primes from Bradyrhizobium japonicum I-110 and on an R-prime plasmid from Rhizobium fredii HH303. The largest R-prime plasmid was obtained from the rescue of two symbiotically defective R. fredii mutant strains that required adenosine.Non-standard abbreviation TDP transposon donor pool Scientific article number A-4728 and contribution number 7724 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station     

Growth in vitro of arrested embryos from lethal mutants ofArabidopsis thaliana

Summary Seventeen embryo-lethal mutants ofArabidopsis thaliana with lethal phases ranging from the globular to mature cotyledon stages of development were analyzed by culturing arrested embryos on nutrient media designed to promote either callus formation or the completion of embryo development and the recovery of homozygous mutant plants. Enriched media supplemented with vitamins, amino acids, and nucleosides were used to identify potential auxotrophic mutants. Wild-type embryos produced extensive callus on basal and enriched media supplemented with 2,4-D and kinetin. Numerous roots developed when wildtype callus was grown in the presence of NAA and kinetin. Mutant embryos arrested prior to the heart stage of development formed only a slight amount of callus on basal and enriched media. Arrested embryos from mutants 122G-E and 112A-2A reached a later stage of development and gave the most interesting responses in culture. 122G-E mutant embryos failed to grow on basal media but produced extensive callus and homozygous mutant plants on enriched media. The specific nutrient required for growth of this mutant remains to be determined. Arrested embryos from mutant 112A-2A developed into abnormal plants without roots when placed in culture. Mutant callus also failed to form roots on a variety of root-inducing media. Expression of this mutant gene therefore disrupts development of the root apical meristem during both embryogenesis in vivo and organogenesis in vitro.     

Identification and characterization of auxotrophs of Neisseria meningitidis produced by Tn916 mutagenesis

Abstract Fourteen Tn 916 mutants of Neisseria meningitidis strain NMB were identified as auxotrophs. Among these were eight amino acid auxotrophs, with five different phenotypes, and three isolates restricted in carbon source utilization, growing in the presence of glucose but not on L-lactate, D-lactate, pyruvate, or casamino acids as principal carbon sources.     

Isolation of auxotrophic and antimetabolite-resistant mutants of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana

Antimetabolite-resistant and auxotrophic mutants of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana were isolated to provide strains with genetic backgrounds amenable to genetic analyses. Norleucine, azaleucine, 4-nitropyridine-N-oxide, and 3-amino-1, 2, 4-triazole did not affect growth, while 5-fluorouracil (5 g/ml), 5-methyltryptophan (250g/ml), 6-azauracil (100 g/ml), and 4-fluorophenylalanine (30 g/ml) inhibited growth at the indicated minimum inhibitory concentrations. The effect of 5-fluorouracil was analyzed and found to be bacteriostatic. These inhibitors were used to select spontaneously arising resistant mutants. In addition, auxotrophic mutants requiring leucine, tryptophan, adenine, and histidine were isolated following mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate. Six other auxotrophs with undefined growth requirements were also isolated. These strains will be useful for the development of genetic methods for T. neapolitana.     

The development of a negative selection system for the isolation of plant temperature-sensitive auxin auxotrophs

Summary A protocol has been developed for the negative selection of plant auxotrophs using the nucleoside analogues BUdR and FUdR. The protocol was optimised using nitrogen-starved protoplast-derived cells of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia to simulate auxotrophy. The present results represent a significant improvement over previous reports in that: 1) The background of colonies escaping BUdR/FUdR kill is low and reproducible. 2) The protocol was improved to the point where background survival was 0.03% for non-starved cultures and 0.09% for auxin-starved cultures. 3) It was shown that UV irradiation decreases BUdR sensitivity of dividing cells and that this is overcome by increased exposure to BUdR. 4) Application of the method to auxin-starved haploid protoplast-derived cell suspensions resulted, for the first time, in the selection of temperature-sensitive (ts) auxin auxotrophs. 5) It could be demonstrated, for the first time, that the method in practice enriches for auxotrophs, in this case by a factor of 10 for auxin auxotrophs and at least 60 for ts auxin auxotrophs.Abbreviations BUdR 5-bromodeoxyuridine - FUdR 5-fluoro-deoxyuridine - MNNG N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - BAP 6-benzylamino-purine - CFE colony forming efficiency - PE plating efficiency - ts temperature sensitive     

A Comparison of Auxotrophic and Wild Strains of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Used as a Mycoherbicide Against Californian Thistle ( Cirsium arvense )

Two auxotrophic mutant strains of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were tested in the greenhouse for pathogenicity on Cirsium arvense (Californian thistle) with and without amino acid amendments. An arginine auxotrophic mutant, with an amendment of the amino acid, followed an identical disease progress curve to that of the wild strain of the pathogen from which it was derived. However, when deprived of the amino acid amendment it was still highly pathogenic. A leucine auxotrophic mutant demonstrated poor pathogenicity without a leucine amendment, but improved pathogenicity with the addition of the amino acid. However, both of these treatments were inferior to the two wild strains tested and the arginine auxotroph with and without amendments. A field experiment was conducted on C. arvense stems in permanent pasture to compare the pathogenicity of amended auxotrophic strains and wild strains of S. sclerotiorum applied as a granule in a wheat-based carrier. The two wild strains gave significant reductions in thistle cover within 3 months of treatment, and subsequent reductions in thistle stem height and density during the following season. There was no evidence that the auxotrophic strains reduced thistle cover in the season the treatments were applied, but they did reduce subsequent stem density in the following spring. To determine disease carry-over associated with the wild and auxotrophic strains of the pathogen, rape was planted into subplots over the next three consecutive seasons. Despite substantial populations of sclerotia being present in the soil, especially in the first season after treatment of the thistles, no disease of rape caused by S. sclerotiorum was detected over the three seasons in any of the plots. Sclerotium populations of S. sclerotiorum in the soil declined by over 50% between 20 and 32 months after treatment, but there was no decline over the subsequent 12 months. The trial demonstrated that the auxotrophic strains were less field fit compared with the wild strains and that the presence of inoculum and a susceptible host to S. sclerotiorum were not the only prerequisites for disease development. It was concluded that use of a trap crop following treatment is not a suitable method for determining the risk of using this pathogen as a mycoherbicide in pasture.     

Fusion of plant protoplasts: a study using auxotrophic mutants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia,Viviani

Summary Protoplast fusion studies between various auxotrophic mutants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia were performed to optimize conditions for PEG-mediated fusion and to identify factors influencing the plant protoplast fusion process. Numerous parameters in the isolation, culture, and fusion of protoplasts were tested, and established fusion protocols were compared. Fusion rates, calculated on the basis of colony growth on selection medium (genetic complementation), ranged from 10^–4 to 10^–2. Conditions that allow rapid and reproducible fusions at the highest rates were established. Particular emphasis was given to fusion of mesophyll-derived protoplasts, for which the ability to regenerate fertile plants from fusion products was shown to be particularly high. Preliminary experiments using electric-field mediated fusion suggest that electrofusion may offer significant advantages over the traditional chemical fusion.     

Isolation of auxotrophs and analysis of regulation of tryptophan biosynthesis in Zymomonas mobilis

Tryptophan auxotrophs were isolated and used to analyze the regulation of tryptophan biosynthesis in Zymomonas mobilis. Twelve tryptophan auxotrophs were cassified as trp E, B or A based on accumulation of, or growth on, indole and anthranilic acid. Trp B mutants were found to accumulate indole when grown on limiting, but not on excess tryptophan, suggesting that tryptophan plays a role in regulating its biosynthesis. Tryptophan synthase and indoleglycerol phosphate synthase specific activities were measured in the wild-type strain and two trp mutants grown in limiting or excess tryptophan. Neither activity was repressed by exogenous tryptophan.Abbreviations CDRP O-(carboxyphenol amino)-1 deoxyribulose 5-phosphate - IGPS indoleglycerol phosphate synthase - TS tryptophan synthase Dedicated in memory of Dr. O. H. Smith     

酿酒酵母原生质体融合的研究

本实验通过酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)营养缺陷型菌株H802-9A(a ade~-his~7 cys~2 tyr~1)和H802-3 A(a ade~- cra~1)进行原生质体融合,获得营养互补的重组融合子,选择两亲株的对数生长早期细胞(2-4×10~7个/m1),在0.1％β-琉基乙醇及1-2％蜗牛酶的作用下,原生质体形成率达99-100％,在35％聚乙二醇(MW6000)-10mMCaC1溶液的作用下,可获得融合率为2.6×10~(-6)-2.1×10~(-7)的杂合子,自发回复突变率1.5-7×10~(-9)。     

Auxotrophy in rhizobia revisited

Among the various types of mutations studied in rhizobia, the auxotrophic mutations (which confer on the mutants the inability to synthesize certain essential substances such as amino acids, vitamins and nucleic acids), are the most favoured ones as these can be used as suitable markers for genetic analysis. An important property of rhizobia is their effectiveness i.e. their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia within the nodule. Special interest in this category of mutations by rhizobial geneticists is due to the fact that there is a strong correlation between the metabolic defects and the ineffectiveness (Nod^- and/or Fix^-) of the rhizobial strains. Auxotrophic mutants of various species of rhizobia with defects in the synthesis of nucleic bases, vitamins and amino acids have been obtained by mutagenising with physical, chemical and Tn5 mutagens. These mutants have been used in mapping studies as well as in establishing a correlation between its metabolic requirement and symbiotic relationship with the host plant. The present review deals with the isolation of auxotrophs, and their genetic, biochemical and symbiotic characterization. The review also encompasses the studies on the elucidation of biosynthetic pathways of nutritional substances in rhizobia.