Expression of β-galactosidase in Rhizobium japonicum

Abstract The plasmid pGC91.14 was used to introduce via conjugation the Escherichia coli lac operon into fast-growing and slow-growing strains of Rhizobium japonicum . Exconjugants now expressed higher levels of β-galactosidase activity which was still inducible by isopropyl-β- d -thiogalactoside (IPTG). The presence of the lac operon allowed the slow-growing strain 61A76 to grow on lactose as the sole carbon source; the fast-growing strains grew poorly on lactose but growth was not inhibited by lactose as had been reported for Rhizobium meliloti . β-galactosidase could be detected in nodule extracts and bacteroid preparations from soybean plants ( Glycine max L. Merrill) infected with the strain 61A76 (pGC91.14).