Abstract
The root nodules of Phaseolus mungo (L.), a herbaceous leguminous pulse, contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (AsA). A glucose pool present in the nodule might serve as precursor for AsA production. From root nodule, a Rhizobium sp. was isolated. The symbiont produced a large amount of AsA (290.5 μg/ml) from glucose-supplemented basal medium. The production of AsA by the symbiont was much greater than that of the control when the glucose (0.5%)-supplemented mineral medium was enriched with thiamine hydrochloride (20 μg/100 ml), biotin (20 μg/100 ml), and L-asparagine (0.2%). The possible role of the rhizobial production of AsA on rhizobia–legume symbiosis is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arrigoni O, De Tullio MC (2002) Ascorbic acid: Much more than an antioxidant. Biochim Biophys Acta 1569:1–9
Bremus C, Herrmann U, Bringer-Meyer S, Sahm H (2006) The use of microorganisms in l-ascorbic acid production. J Biotechnol 124(1):196–205
Conn HJ, Jennison MW, Week DB (1957) Routine tests for the identification of bacteria. In: Conn HJ (ed) Manual of microbiological methods. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, pp 140–168
Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers RA, Smith F (1956) Colorimetric method for determination of sugar and related substances. Anal Chem 28(3):350–356
Hunter WJ (1989) Indole-3-acetic acid production by bacteroids from soybean root nodules. Physiol Plant 76:31–36
Jordan DC (1984) Rhizobiaceae. In: Krieg NR, Holt JG (eds) Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, vol. 1. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, pp 235–240
Lee SK, Kader AA (2000) Prehervest and postharvest factors influencing vitamin C content of horticultural crops. Post Harv Biol Technol 20:207–220
Matamoros MA, Loscos J, Coronado MJ, Ramos J, Sato S, Testillano PS et al (2006) Biosynthesis of ascorbic acid in legume root nodules. Plant Physiol 141:1068–1077
Oser BL (1979) Hawk’s physiological chemistry. McGraw Hill, New Delhi, India
Panse VG, Sukhatme PV (1985) Statistical methods for agricultural workers, 4th ed. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India, pp 145–156
Pastori G, Kiddle G, Antoniw J, Bernard S, Veljovic-Jovanovic S, Verrier PJ et al (2003) Leaf vitamin C contents modulate plant defense transcripts and regulate genes that control development through hormone signaling. Plant Cell 15:939–951
Puppo A, Groten K, Bastian F, Carzaniga R, Soussi M, Lucas MM et al (2005) Legume nodule senescence: roles for redox and hormone signaling in the orchestration of the natural aging process. New Phytol 165:683–701
Skerman VBD (1959) A guide to the identification of the genera of bacteria with methods and digests of generic characteristics. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, pp 189–191
Smirnoff N (2000) Ascorbate biosynthesis and function in photoprotection. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 355:1455–1464
Smirnoff N (1996) The function and metabolism of ascorbic acid in plants. Ann Bot 78:661–669
Valpuesta V, Botella MA (2004) Biosynthesis of L-ascorbic acid in plants: New pathways for an old antioxidant. Trends Plant Sci 9:573–577
Vincent JM (1974) Root nodule symbiosis with Rhizobium. In: Quespel A (ed) The biology of nitrogen fixation. North Holland Publishing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp 265–341
Wheeler GL, Jones MA, Smirnoff N (1998) The biosynthetic pathway of vitamin C in higher plants. Nature 393:365–369
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ghosh, S., Maiti, T.K. & Basu, P.S. Bioproduction of Ascorbic Acid in Root Nodule and Root of the Legume Pulse Phaseolus mungo . Curr Microbiol 56, 495–498 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9109-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9109-9