Genome of Herbaspirillum seropedicae strain SmR1, a specialized diazotrophic endophyte of tropical grasses

• Published in: PLoS genetics 2011-05, Vol.7 (5), p.e1002064-e1002064
• Main Authors: Pedrosa, Fábio O, Monteiro, Rose Adele, Wassem, Roseli, Cruz, Leonardo M, Ayub, Ricardo A, Colauto, Nelson B, Fernandez, Maria Aparecida, Fungaro, Maria Helena P, Grisard, Edmundo C, Hungria, Mariangela, Madeira, Humberto M F, Nodari, Rubens O, Osaku, Clarice A, Petzl-Erler, Maria Luiza, Terenzi, Hernán, Vieira, Luiz G E, Steffens, Maria Berenice R, Weiss, Vinicius A, Pereira, Luiz F P, Almeida, Marina I M, Alves, Lysangela R, Marin, Anelis, Araujo, Luiza Maria, Balsanelli, Eduardo, Baura, Valter A, Chubatsu, Leda S, Faoro, Helisson, Favetti, Augusto, Friedermann, Geraldo, Glienke, Chirlei, Karp, Susan, Kava-Cordeiro, Vanessa, Raittz, Roberto T, Ramos, Humberto J O, Ribeiro, Enilze Maria S F, Rigo, Liu Un, Rocha, Saul N, Schwab, Stefan, Silva, Anilda G, Souza, Eliel M, Tadra-Sfeir, Michelle Z, Torres, Rodrigo A, Dabul, Audrei N G, Soares, Maria Albertina M, Gasques, Luciano S, Gimenes, Ciela C T, Valle, Juliana S, Ciferri, Ricardo R, Correa, Luiz C, Murace, Norma K, Pamphile, João A, Patussi, Eliana Valéria, Prioli, Alberto J, Prioli, Sonia Maria A, Rocha, Carmem Lúcia M S C, Arantes, Olívia Márcia N, Furlaneto, Márcia Cristina, Godoy, Leandro P, Oliveira, Carlos E C, Satori, Daniele, Vilas-Boas, Laurival A, Watanabe, Maria Angélica E, Dambros, Bibiana Paula, Guerra, Miguel P, Mathioni, Sandra Marisa, Santos, Karine Louise, Steindel, Mario, Vernal, Javier, Barcellos, Fernando G, Campo, Rubens J, Chueire, Ligia Maria O, Nicolás, Marisa Fabiana, Pereira-Ferrari, Lilian, Silva, José L da Conceição, Gioppo, Nereida M R, Margarido, Vladimir P, Menck-Soares, Maria Amélia, Pinto, Fabiana Gisele S, Simão, Rita de Cássia G, Takahashi, Elizabete K, Yates, Marshall G, Souza, Emanuel M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria; Bacterial genetics; Biology; Burkholderia; Chromosomes, Plant; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genome, Plant; Genomes; Grasses; Herbaspirillum - genetics; Herbaspirillum - metabolism; Herbaspirillum seropedicae; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Microbiology; Nitrogen Fixation; Oryza sativa; Osmotic Pressure; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Rice; Zea mays
• ISSN: 1553-7404; 1553-7390; 1553-7404
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002064

The molecular mechanisms of plant recognition, colonization, and nutrient exchange between diazotrophic endophytes and plants are scarcely known. Herbaspirillum seropedicae is an endophytic bacterium capable of colonizing intercellular spaces of grasses such as rice and sugar cane. The genome of H. seropedicae strain SmR1 was sequenced and annotated by The Paraná State Genome Programme--GENOPAR. The genome is composed of a circular chromosome of 5,513,887 bp and contains a total of 4,804 genes. The genome sequence revealed that H. seropedicae is a highly versatile microorganism with capacity to metabolize a wide range of carbon and nitrogen sources and with possession of four distinct terminal oxidases. The genome contains a multitude of protein secretion systems, including type I, type II, type III, type V, and type VI secretion systems, and type IV pili, suggesting a high potential to interact with host plants. H. seropedicae is able to synthesize indole acetic acid as reflected by the four IAA biosynthetic pathways present. A gene coding for ACC deaminase, which may be involved in modulating the associated plant ethylene-signaling pathway, is also present. Genes for hemagglutinins/hemolysins/adhesins were found and may play a role in plant cell surface adhesion. These features may endow H. seropedicae with the ability to establish an endophytic life-style in a large number of plant species.