Involvement of the azorhizobial chromosome partition gene (parA) in the onset of bacteroid differentiation during Sesbania rostrata stem nodule development.

ABSTRACT: A parA gene in-frame deletion mutant of Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 (ORS571-ΔparA) was constructed to evaluate the roles of the chromosome-partitioning gene on various bacterial traits and on the development of stem-positioned nodules. The ΔparA mutant showed a pleiomorphic cell shape phenotype and was polyploid, with differences in nucleoid sizes due to dramatic defects in chromosome partitioning. Upon inoculation of the ΔparA mutant onto the stem of Sesbania rostrata, three types of immature nodule-like structures with impaired nitrogen-fixing activity were generated. Most showed signs of bacteroid early senescence. Moreover, the ΔparA cells within the nodule-like structures exhibited multiple developmental-stage phenotypes. Since the bacA gene has been considered an indicator for ba

SUBMITTER: Liu CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3127717 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature