Nitrogen-fixing bacteria and Oxalis - evidence for a vertically inherited bacterial symbiosis.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Plant-endophyte symbioses often revolve around nitrogen metabolism, and involve varying degrees of intimacy. Although evidence for vertical inheritance of nitrogen-fixing endophytic bacteria is increasing, it is confined mostly to crop plants, and to date no such system has been reported for geophytes. METHODS:Bacterial endophytes associated with Oxalis, the most species-rich geophytic genus form the Cape Flora in southern Africa was studied. Culturable endophytes were isolated from surface-sterilized vegetative and reproductive plant organs for six host species at three locations. Colonies of microbes on various artificial media were morphotyped, enumerated and identified using sequence data. Filter exclusion experiments were conducted to determine if endophytes were vertically

SUBMITTER: Jooste M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6806586 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature