Succinate Transport Is Not Essential for Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation by Sinorhizobium meliloti or Rhizobium leguminosarum.

ABSTRACT: Symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) is an energetically expensive process performed by bacteria during endosymbiotic relationships with plants. The bacteria require the plant to provide a carbon source for the generation of reductant to power SNF. While C₄-dicarboxylates (succinate, fumarate, and malate) appear to be the primary, if not sole, carbon source provided to the bacteria, the contribution of each C₄-dicarboxylate is not known. We address this issue using genetic and systems-level analyses. Expression of a malate-specific transporter (MaeP) in Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm1021 dct mutants unable to transport C₄-dicarboxylates resulted in malate import rates of up to 30% that of the wild type. This was sufficient to support SNF with Medic

SUBMITTER: Mitsch MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5734035 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature