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Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 does not strictly require KPS and/or EPS to nodulate Glycyrrhiza uralensis, an indeterminate nodule-forming legume

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Abstract

The Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 rkp-1 region, which is involved in capsular polysaccharide (KPS) biosynthesis, is constituted by the rkpU, rkpAGHIJ, and kpsF3 genes. Two mutants in this region affecting the rkpA (SVQ536) and rkpI (SVQ538) genes were constructed. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 1H-NMR analyses did not detect KPS in these mutants. RT-PCR experiments indicated that, most probably, the rkpAGHI genes are cotranscribed. Glycine max cultivars (cvs.) Williams and Peking inoculated with mutants SVQ536 and SVQ538 showed reduced nodulation and symptoms of nitrogen starvation. Many pseudonodules were also formed on the American cv. Williams but not on the Asiatic cv. Peking, suggesting that in the determinate nodule-forming S. fredii-soybean symbiosis, bacterial KPS might be involved in determining cultivar-strain specificity. S. fredii HH103 mutants unable to produce KPS or exopolysaccharide (EPS) also showed reduced symbiotic capacity with Glycyrrhiza uralensis, an indeterminate nodule-forming legume. A HH103 exoA-rkpH double mutant unable to produce KPS and EPS was still able to form some nitrogen-fixing nodules on G. uralensis. Thus, here we describe for the first time a Sinorhizobium mutant strain, which produces neither KPS nor EPS is able to induce the formation of functional nodules in an indeterminate nodule-forming legume.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Abigail López for technical assistance and Piedad del Socorro Murdoch and Anton van Brussel for critical reading of the manuscript. This work was supported by grants BIO2008-05736-C02-02 of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and P07-CVI-02506 of the Andalusia Government.

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  1. Maribel Parada

    Present address: Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y de Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Avda. Francisco Salazar, 01145, Temuco, Chile

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Reina Mercedes 6, 41012, Sevilla, Spain

    Isabel Margaret-Oliver, Maribel Parada, Juan C. Crespo-Rivas, Ángeles Hidalgo, Ana Buendía-Clavería, Javier Ollero, José E. Ruiz-Sainz & José M. Vinardell

  2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University and Key Laboratory of Agro-Microbial Resources and Application, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100193, People’s Republic of China

    Wang Lei

  3. Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Sevilla, C/Profesor García González 1, 41012, Sevilla, Spain

    Miguel A. Rodríguez-Carvajal & Antonio Gil-Serrano

  4. Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Reina Mercedes 6, 41012, Sevilla, Spain

    Javier Moreno

  5. Centro Las Torres-Tomejil (IFAPA), Apartado Oficial, Alcalá del Río, Sevilla, Spain

    Dulce N. Rodríguez-Navarro

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  1. Isabel Margaret-Oliver
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Correspondence to José M. Vinardell.

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Margaret-Oliver, I., Lei, W., Parada, M. et al. Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 does not strictly require KPS and/or EPS to nodulate Glycyrrhiza uralensis, an indeterminate nodule-forming legume. Arch Microbiol 194, 87–102 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-011-0729-2

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