Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1978 Feb;133(2):518–526. doi: 10.1128/jb.133.2.518-526.1978

Transfer of nitrogen fixation genes from a bacterium with the characteristics of both Rhizobium and Agrobacterium.

M L Skotnicki, B G Rolfe
PMCID: PMC222053  PMID: 342496

Abstract

Strain T1K, reported to be Rhizobium trifolii strain T1 carrying the drug resistance plasmid RU-1drd, was able to transfer a cluster of nif+ genes to Escherichia coli K-12. Additional genetic material, resembling the gal-chlA region of E. coli, was also transferred from strain T1K. The segregation pattern of these transferred genes suggested that they were on a plasmid. Although strain TIK was able to nodulate red and white clover, it also formed very slow-growing galls on tomato stems and shared many physiological properties with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, to which it seemed more closely related than to R. trifolii. The R. trifolii hybrid T1 (R1-19drd), constructed by conjugation, did not share any of these properties of both A. tumefaciens. Thus, strain T1K appears to be a bacterium with properties of both A. tumefaciens and R. trifolii and with the capacity to transfer nif+ genes and other functions which it may have "cloned" from another bacterium such as Klebsiella.

Full text

PDF
520

Images in this article

524Image
on p.524

Selected References

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

  1. Campbell N. E., Evans H. J. Use of Pankhurst tubes to assay acetylene reduction by facultative and anaerobic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Can J Microbiol. 1969 Nov;15(11):1342–1343. doi: 10.1139/m69-243. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cannon F. C., Dixon R. A., Postgate J. R., Primrose S. B. Chromosomal integration of Klebsiella nitrogen fixation genes in Escherichia coli. J Gen Microbiol. 1974 Jan;80(1):227–239. doi: 10.1099/00221287-80-1-227. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Coates M., Brimhall B., Stenzel P., Hermodson M., Gibson D., Jones R. T., Vedvick T. alpha-chain sequence of newt haemoglobin (Taricha granulosa). Aust J Biol Sci. 1977 Apr;30(1-2):1–19. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. DAVIS B. D., MINGIOLI E. S. Mutants of Escherichia coli requiring methionine or vitamin B12. J Bacteriol. 1950 Jul;60(1):17–28. doi: 10.1128/jb.60.1.17-28.1950. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. De Ley J., Bernaerts M., Rassel A., Guilmot J. Approach to an improved taxonomy of the genus Agrobacterium. J Gen Microbiol. 1966 Apr;43(1):7–17. doi: 10.1099/00221287-43-1-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dilworth M. J., Parker C. A. Development of the nitrogen-fixing system in legumes. J Theor Biol. 1969 Nov;25(2):208–218. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5193(69)80059-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dunican L. K., Tierney A. B. Genetic transfer of nitrogen fixation from Rhizobium trifolii to Klebsiella aerogenes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1974 Mar 15;57(1):62–72. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(74)80357-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dunican L. K., Tierney A. B. Transformation of an R-factor from Pseudomonas aeruginosa into Rhizobium trifolii. Mol Gen Genet. 1973 Nov 2;126(2):187–190. doi: 10.1007/BF00330993. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Engler G., Holsters M., Van Montagu M., Schell J., Hernalsteens J. P., Schilperoort Agrocin 84 sensitivity: a plasmid determined property in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Mol Gen Genet. 1975 Jul 10;138(4):345–349. doi: 10.1007/BF00264804. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Genetello C., Van Larebeke N., Holsters M., De Picker A., Van Montagu M., Schell J. Ti plasmids of Agrobacterium as conjugative plasmids. Nature. 1977 Feb 10;265(5594):561–563. doi: 10.1038/265561a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Heberlein G. T., De Ley J., Tijtgat R. Deoxyribonucleic acid homology and taxonomy of Agrobacterium, Rhizobium, and Chromobacterium. J Bacteriol. 1967 Jul;94(1):116–124. doi: 10.1128/jb.94.1.116-124.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hill S. Method for exposing bacterial cultures on solid media to a defined gas mixture using nylon bags. Lab Pract. 1973 Mar;22(3):193–194. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kerr A., Manigault P., Tempé J. Transfer of virulence in vivo and in vitro in Agrobacterium. Nature. 1977 Feb 10;265(5594):560–561. doi: 10.1038/265560a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Moffett M. L., Colwell R. R. Adansonian analysis of the Rhizobiaceae. J Gen Microbiol. 1968 Apr;51(2):245–266. doi: 10.1099/00221287-51-2-245. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Pankhurst E. S. A simple culture tube for anaerobic bacteria. Lab Pract. 1967 Jan;16(1):58–59. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. ROSLYCKY E. B., ALLEN O. N., McCOY E. Phages for Agrobacterium radiobacter with reference to host range. Can J Microbiol. 1962 Feb;8:71–78. doi: 10.1139/m62-010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Rolfe B., Onodera K. Genes, enzymes and membrane proteins of the nitrate respiration system of Escherichia coli. J Membr Biol. 1972;9(2):195–207. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Skotnicki M. L., Rolfe B. G. Interaction between the oxidative phosphorylation genes of Escherichia coli k12 and the nitrogen fixation gene cluster of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1977 Apr 11;75(3):651–658. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(77)91522-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Tubb R. S., Postgate J. R. Control of nitrogenase synthesis in Klebsiella pneumoniae. J Gen Microbiol. 1973 Nov;79(1):103–117. doi: 10.1099/00221287-79-1-103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Van Larebeke N., Engler G., Holsters M., Van den Elsacker S., Zaenen I., Schilperoort R. A., Schell J. Large plasmid in Agrobacterium tumefaciens essential for crown gall-inducing ability. Nature. 1974 Nov 8;252(5479):169–170. doi: 10.1038/252169a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Van Larebeke N., Genetello C., Schell J., Schilperoort R. A., Hermans A. K., Van Montagu M., Hernalsteens J. P. Acquisition of tumour-inducing ability by non-oncogenic agrobacteria as a result of plasmid transfer. Nature. 1975 Jun 26;255(5511):742–743. doi: 10.1038/255742a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Watson B., Currier T. C., Gordon M. P., Chilton M. D., Nester E. W. Plasmid required for virulence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. J Bacteriol. 1975 Jul;123(1):255–264. doi: 10.1128/jb.123.1.255-264.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES