Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1989 Jun;171(6):3324–3330. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.6.3324-3330.1989

Identification of Bradyrhizobium nod genes involved in host-specific nodulation.

N Deshmane 1, G Stacey 1
PMCID: PMC210053  PMID: 2542223

Abstract

Three loci important for soybean nodulation by Bradyrhizobium japonicum were delimited by Tn5 mutagenesis on a 5.3-kilobase EcoRI fragment adjacent to the nodABC genes. Results of hybridization studies suggested that this region is conserved in Bradyrhizobium species but absent in all Rhizobium species. lacZ translational fusions of two of the loci contained in this region were found to be inducible by host-produced flavonoid chemicals via a mechanism requiring a functional nodD gene product. A mutation in one of the loci was found to result in an alteration of the host range of B. japonicum. This mutation appears to block nodulation at the step at which plant root cortical cell division is induced.

Full text

PDF
3324

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Banfalvi Z., Nieuwkoop A., Schell M., Besl L., Stacey G. Regulation of nod gene expression in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Mol Gen Genet. 1988 Nov;214(3):420–424. doi: 10.1007/BF00330475. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Boyer H. W., Roulland-Dussoix D. A complementation analysis of the restriction and modification of DNA in Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1969 May 14;41(3):459–472. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(69)90288-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Casadaban M. J. Fusion of the Escherichia coli lac genes to the ara promoter: a general technique using bacteriophage Mu-1 insertions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Mar;72(3):809–813. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.3.809. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ditta G., Stanfield S., Corbin D., Helinski D. R. Broad host range DNA cloning system for gram-negative bacteria: construction of a gene bank of Rhizobium meliloti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Dec;77(12):7347–7351. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.12.7347. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Djordjevic M. A., Redmond J. W., Batley M., Rolfe B. G. Clovers secrete specific phenolic compounds which either stimulate or repress nod gene expression in Rhizobium trifolii. EMBO J. 1987 May;6(5):1173–1179. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02351.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Djordjevic S. P., Ridge R. W., Chen H. C., Redmond J. W., Batley M., Rolfe B. G. Induction of pathogenic-like responses in the legume Macroptilium atropurpureum by a transposon-induced mutant of the fast-growing, broad-host-range Rhizobium strain NGR234. J Bacteriol. 1988 Apr;170(4):1848–1857. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.4.1848-1857.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Downie J. A., Johnston A. W. Nodulation of legumes by Rhizobium: the recognized root? Cell. 1986 Oct 24;47(2):153–154. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90436-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Egelhoff T. T., Fisher R. F., Jacobs T. W., Mulligan J. T., Long S. R. Nucleotide sequence of Rhizobium meliloti 1021 nodulation genes: nodD is read divergently from nodABC. DNA. 1985 Jun;4(3):241–248. doi: 10.1089/dna.1985.4.241. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Evans I. J., Downie J. A. The nodI gene product of Rhizobium leguminosarum is closely related to ATP-binding bacterial transport proteins; nucleotide sequence analysis of the nodI and nodJ genes. Gene. 1986;43(1-2):95–101. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(86)90012-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hirsch A. M., Wilson K. J., Jones J. D., Bang M., Walker V. V., Ausubel F. M. Rhizobium meliloti nodulation genes allow Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Escherichia coli to form pseudonodules on alfalfa. J Bacteriol. 1984 Jun;158(3):1133–1143. doi: 10.1128/jb.158.3.1133-1143.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hong G. F., Burn J. E., Johnston A. W. Evidence that DNA involved in the expression of nodulation (nod) genes in Rhizobium binds to the product of the regulatory gene nodD. Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Dec 10;15(23):9677–9690. doi: 10.1093/nar/15.23.9677. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Horvath B., Bachem C. W., Schell J., Kondorosi A. Host-specific regulation of nodulation genes in Rhizobium is mediated by a plant-signal, interacting with the nodD gene product. EMBO J. 1987 Apr;6(4):841–848. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb04829.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Horvath B., Kondorosi E., John M., Schmidt J., Török I., Györgypal Z., Barabas I., Wieneke U., Schell J., Kondorosi A. Organization, structure and symbiotic function of Rhizobium meliloti nodulation genes determining host specificity for alfalfa. Cell. 1986 Aug 1;46(3):335–343. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90654-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Jacobs T. W., Egelhoff T. T., Long S. R. Physical and genetic map of a Rhizobium meliloti nodulation gene region and nucleotide sequence of nodC. J Bacteriol. 1985 May;162(2):469–476. doi: 10.1128/jb.162.2.469-476.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kosslak R. M., Bookland R., Barkei J., Paaren H. E., Appelbaum E. R. Induction of Bradyrhizobium japonicum common nod genes by isoflavones isolated from Glycine max. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Nov;84(21):7428–7432. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.21.7428. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Marvel D. J., Kuldau G., Hirsch A., Richards E., Torrey J. G., Ausubel F. M. Conservation of nodulation genes between Rhizobium meliloti and a slow-growing Rhizobium strain that nodulates a nonlegume host. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Sep;82(17):5841–5845. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.17.5841. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mulligan J. T., Long S. R. Induction of Rhizobium meliloti nodC expression by plant exudate requires nodD. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Oct;82(19):6609–6613. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.19.6609. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Nieuwkoop A. J., Banfalvi Z., Deshmane N., Gerhold D., Schell M. G., Sirotkin K. M., Stacey G. A locus encoding host range is linked to the common nodulation genes of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. J Bacteriol. 1987 Jun;169(6):2631–2638. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.6.2631-2638.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Orosz L., Sváb Z., Kondorosi A., Sik T. Genetic studies on rhizobiophage 16-3. I. Genes and functions on the chromosome. Mol Gen Genet. 1973 Sep 27;125(4):341–350. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Peters N. K., Frost J. W., Long S. R. A plant flavone, luteolin, induces expression of Rhizobium meliloti nodulation genes. Science. 1986 Aug 29;233(4767):977–980. doi: 10.1126/science.3738520. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ratet P., Schell J., de Bruijn F. J. Mini-Mulac transposons with broad-host-range origins of conjugal transfer and replication designed for gene regulation studies in Rhizobiaceae. Gene. 1988;63(1):41–52. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(88)90544-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Rostas K., Kondorosi E., Horvath B., Simoncsits A., Kondorosi A. Conservation of extended promoter regions of nodulation genes in Rhizobium. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Mar;83(6):1757–1761. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.6.1757. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Russell P., Schell M. G., Nelson K. K., Halverson L. J., Sirotkin K. M., Stacey G. Isolation and characterization of the DNA region encoding nodulation functions in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. J Bacteriol. 1985 Dec;164(3):1301–1308. doi: 10.1128/jb.164.3.1301-1308.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Sadowsky M. J., Olson E. R., Foster V. E., Kosslak R. M., Verma D. P. Two host-inducible genes of Rhizobium fredii and characterization of the inducing compound. J Bacteriol. 1988 Jan;170(1):171–178. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.1.171-178.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Shearman C. A., Rossen L., Johnston A. W., Downie J. A. The Rhizobium leguminosarum nodulation gene nodF encodes a polypeptide similar to acyl-carrier protein and is regulated by nodD plus a factor in pea root exudate. EMBO J. 1986 Apr;5(4):647–652. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04262.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Southern E. M. Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis. J Mol Biol. 1975 Nov 5;98(3):503–517. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(75)80083-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Stanley J., Brown G. G., Verma D. P. Slow-growing Rhizobium japonicum comprises two highly divergent symbiotic types. J Bacteriol. 1985 Jul;163(1):148–154. doi: 10.1128/jb.163.1.148-154.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Surin B. P., Downie J. A. Characterization of the Rhizobium leguminosarum genes nodLMN involved in efficient host-specific nodulation. Mol Microbiol. 1988 Mar;2(2):173–183. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1988.tb00019.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Truchet G., Rosenberg C., Vasse J., Julliot J. S., Camut S., Denarie J. Transfer of Rhizobium meliloti pSym genes into Agrobacterium tumefaciens: host-specific nodulation by atypical infection. J Bacteriol. 1984 Jan;157(1):134–142. doi: 10.1128/jb.157.1.134-142.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES