EPS II-Dependent Autoaggregation of Sinorhizobium meliloti Planktonic Cells |
| |
Authors: | Fernando G. Sorroche Luciana V. Rinaudi Ángeles Zorreguieta Walter Giordano |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta 36?km 601, X5804BYA-Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina 2. Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA, CONICET and FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Patricias Argentinas 435, C1405BWE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
|
| |
Abstract: | Planktonic cells of Sinorhizobium meliloti, a Gram-negative symbiotic bacterium, display autoaggregation under static conditions. ExpR is a LuxR-type regulator that controls many functions in S. meliloti, including synthesis of two exopolysaccharides, EPS I (succinoglycan) and EPS II (galactoglucan). Since exopolysaccharides are important for bacterial attachment, we studied the involvement of EPS I and II in autoaggregation of S. meliloti. Presence of an intact copy of the expR locus was shown to be necessary for autoaggregation. A mutant incapable of producing EPS I displayed autoaggregation percentage similar to that of parental strain, whereas autoaggregation was significantly lower for a mutant defective in biosynthesis of EPS II. Our findings clearly indicate that EPS II is the essential component involved in autoaggregation of planktonic S. meliloti cells, and that EPS I plays no role in such aggregation. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|