苜蓿中华根瘤菌nifA基因突变影响多种细胞学过程

苜蓿中华根瘤菌nifA基因在共生固氮过程中担负着调控功能,nifA突变株Rm1354在宿主植物的根部诱导白色无效根瘤。本文报道Rm1354在自生状态下的表型变化。nifA的突变导致根瘤菌在半固体培养基上泳动变慢,胞外蛋白含量降低。有趣的是,Rm1354在延宕期间高丝氨酸内酯含量比野生型低,在指数期和静止期却比野生型高。另外,突变株Rm1354的竞争结瘤能力也大大减弱。这些结果揭示了苜蓿中华根瘤菌nifA基因对许多细胞学过程都有调控作用。

Disruption of nifA Gene Influences Multiple Cellular Processes in Sinorhizobium meliloti

Sinorhizobium meliloti nifA is important in fixing nitrogen during symbiosis. A nifA null mutant induces small white invalid nodules in the roots of host plant. The additional phenotypic alterations associated with the disruption of the nifA gene are reported in this study. Under a free-living state, S. meliloti nifA mutant reduces its ability to swarm on a half-solid plate. Interestingly, the AHL (Acylhomoserine lactones) contents in the nifA mutant are lower than that of the wild type during the lag phase, whereas it is reversed in the logarithmic and stationary phases. Quantitative spectrophotometric assays reveal that the total amount of extracellular proteins of the nifA mutant are lower than that of the wild type. In addition, the mutant abolishes its nodulation competitive ability during symbiosis. These findings indicate that NifA plays a regulatory role in multiple cellular processes in S. meliloti.