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. 1986 Nov;52(5):1060–1067. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.5.1060-1067.1986

Rhizobium trifolii 0403 Is Capable of Growth in the Absence of Combined Nitrogen †

James E Urban 1,*, Lawrence C Davis 1, Susan J Brown 1
PMCID: PMC239173  PMID: 16347203

Abstract

Rhizobium trifolii 0403 was treated with 16.6 mM succinate and other nutrients and thereby induced to grow in nitrogen-free medium. The organism grew microaerophilically on either semisolid or liquid medium, fixing atmospheric nitrogen to meet metabolic needs. Nitrogen fixation was measured via 15N incorporation (18% 15N enrichment in 1.5 doublings) and acetylene reduction. Nitrogen-fixing cells had a Km for acetylene of 0.07 atm (ca. 7.09 kPa), required about 3% oxygen for optimum growth in liquid medium, and showed a maximal specific activity of 5 nmol of acetylene reduced per min per mg of protein at 0.04 atm (ca. 4.05 kPa) of acetylene. The doubling time on N-free liquid medium ranged from 1 to 5 days, depending on oxygen tension, with an optimum temperature for growth of about 30°C. Nodulation of white clover by the cultures showing in vitro nitrogenase activity indicates that at least part of the population maintained identity with wild-type strain 0403.

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Selected References

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

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