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Isolation and Characterization of Endophytic Bacteria from the Nickel Hyperaccumulator Plant Alyssum bertolonii

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Abstract

We report the isolation and characterization of endophytic bacteria, endemic to serpentine outcrops of Central Italy, from a nickel hyperaccumulator plant, Alyssum bertolonii Desv. (Brassicaceae). Eighty-three endophytic bacteria were isolated from roots, stems, and leaves of A. bertolonii and classified by restriction analysis of 16S rDNA (ARDRA) and partial 16S rDNA sequencing in 23 different taxonomic groups. All isolates were then screened for siderophore production and for resistance to heavy metals. One isolate representative of each ARDRA group was then tested for plant tissue colonization ability in sterile culture.Obtained results pointed out that, despite the high concentration of heavy metals present in its tissues, A. bertolonii harbors an endophytic bacterial flora showing a high genetic diversity as well as a high level of resistance to heavy metals that could potentially help plant growth and Ni hyperaccumulation.

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Acknowledgment

We are grateful to Chiara Mastretta for assistance in siderophore analysis and to Prof. C.-K. Kim for useful discussion and critical reading of the manuscript. We acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for improving our manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Università di Firenze, via Micheli 1, I-50121, Florence, Italy

    Rita Barzanti, Francesca Ozino, Roberto Gabbrielli, Francesca Galardi & Cristina Gonnelli

  2. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e Genetica, Università di Firenze, via Romana 17, I-50125, Firenze, Italy

    Marco Bazzicalupo & Alessio Mengoni

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  1. Rita Barzanti
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  2. Francesca Ozino
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  6. Cristina Gonnelli
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  7. Alessio Mengoni
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Correspondence to Alessio Mengoni.

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Barzanti, R., Ozino, F., Bazzicalupo, M. et al. Isolation and Characterization of Endophytic Bacteria from the Nickel Hyperaccumulator Plant Alyssum bertolonii . Microb Ecol 53, 306–316 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9164-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9164-3

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