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Ti plasmid containing Rhizobium meliloti are non-tumorigenic on plants, despite proper virulence gene induction and T-strand formation

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Abstract

We examined the expression of the vir genes of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid in Rhizobium meliloti, which remains non-tumorigenic on plants after introduction of a Ti- or Ri-plasmid. Both the levels of virulence (vir) gene expression, induced by the plant phenolic compound acetosyringone, and of subsequent T-strand formation were comparable to what is observed in Agrobacterium. In contrast to the situation in Agrobacterium, though, vir induction in R. meliloti did not require a low pH (5.3) of the induction medium and the optimum temperature for induction in R. meliloti was significantly lower than in Agrobacterium. At 37°C no induction of the vir genes was found both in Agrobacterium and R. meliloti. We postulate that the lack of tumorigenicity of Ti carrying R. meliloti strains is due either to a lack of proper attachment of the bacteria to plant cells, or to an improper assembly of a virB-determined essential structure in the cell wall of R. meliloti.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Biochemical Laboratory, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 64, NL-2333 AL, Leiden, The Netherlands

    R. J. M. van Veen, H. den Dulk-Ras, R. A. Schilperoort & P. J. J. Hooykaas

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  1. R. J. M. van Veen
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  2. H. den Dulk-Ras
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  3. R. A. Schilperoort
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  4. P. J. J. Hooykaas
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van Veen, R.J.M., den Dulk-Ras, H., Schilperoort, R.A. et al. Ti plasmid containing Rhizobium meliloti are non-tumorigenic on plants, despite proper virulence gene induction and T-strand formation. Arch. Microbiol. 153, 85–89 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00277546

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