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Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1990 Nov;172(11):6442–6446. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.11.6442-6446.1990

Sugar-mediated induction of Agrobacterium tumefaciens virulence genes: structural specificity and activities of monosaccharides.

R G Ankenbauer 1, E W Nester 1
PMCID: PMC526831  PMID: 2121715

Abstract

The virulence genes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens are induced by specific plant phenolic metabolites and sugars (G. A. Cangelosi, R. G. Ankenbauer, and E. W. Nester, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, in press). In this report, monosaccharides, derivatives, and analogs which induce the vir regulon have been identified and the structural requirements for monosaccharide-mediated induction have been determined. Pyranose sugars with equatorial hydroxyls at C-1, C-2, and C-3 displayed strong vir gene-inducing activity; the C-4 hydroxyl could be epimeric and a wide variety of substitutions at C-5 were permissible. The acidic monosaccharide derivatives D-galacturonic acid and D-glucuronic acid were the strongest inducers among the monosaccharides tested. Eight of the 11 inducing compounds are known plant metabolites, and 7 are monomers of major plant cell wall polysaccharides. A role for monosaccharides and plant phenolic compounds as wound-specific plant metabolites which signal the ChvE/VirA/VirG regulatory system is proposed.

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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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