IN INOCULANTS Nodulaid - 17th International Nitrogen Fixation ...
IN INOCULANTS Nodulaid - 17th International Nitrogen Fixation ...
IN INOCULANTS Nodulaid - 17th International Nitrogen Fixation ...
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17 th <strong>International</strong> Congress on <strong>Nitrogen</strong> <strong>Fixation</strong><br />
Fremantle, Western Australia<br />
27 November – 1 December 2011<br />
Title Role of the Cpx two component regulatory system and a MFS transporter in the symbiosis<br />
between Sinorhizobium meliloti and leguminous plants<br />
Authors Mário R. Santos, Andreia T. Marques, Leonilde M. Moreira<br />
Poster Board Number 17<br />
IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Engenharia Biológica e<br />
Química, Instituto Superior Técnico<br />
Sinorhizobium meliloti establishes a symbiotic nitrogen fixation relationship with Medicago sativa in a process<br />
involving signalling between rhizobia and the legume plant. There are several bacterial molecular determinants<br />
of symbiosis and we recently added protein TolC to those determinants [1]. A S. meliloti tolC mutant was strongly<br />
affected in the resistance to antimicrobial agents, presented higher susceptibility to osmotic/oxidative stresses<br />
and also had affected secretion of Ca 2+ -binding proteins, of exopolysaccharides and Nod-factors. Furthermore,<br />
S. meliloti tolC mutant induced a reduced number of nodules, which were unable to fix nitrogen in plant roots.<br />
The comparison of the transcriptome of the tolC mutant to that of the wild-type strain identified 1809 genes<br />
differently expressed, including those encoding proteins involved in central metabolism, protection against<br />
stresses and transport. From these genes, the ones with the highest expression in the tolC mutant included the<br />
homologues of the sensor histidine kinase CpxA, the response regulator CpxR and the MFS (Major Facilitor<br />
Superfamily) transporter encoded by genes SMc03167 and SMc03168 [2]. To determine whether these genes<br />
are involved in the symbiotic process, insertion mutants of cpx homologues and deletion mutants of the MFS<br />
genes were constructed. Phenotypic tests performed with cpx insertion mutants showed minor differences in<br />
motility and in symbiosis when compared to the wild-type strain. Deletion of MFS encoding genes had an effect<br />
in stress resistance, pH tolerance, and a slight effect in the number of nodules. Further studies are being<br />
conducted to determine other functions for these gene products in S. meliloti biology.<br />
132<br />
2011