Different Mesorhizobium species associated with Caragana carry similar symbiotic genes and have common host ranges

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters 2008-06, Vol.283 (2), p.203-209
• Main Authors: Chen, Wen Feng, Guan, Su Hua, Zhao, Chun Tian, Yan, Xue Rui, Man, Chao Xin, Wang, En Tao, Chen, Wen Xin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Alphaproteobacteria - classification; Alphaproteobacteria - genetics; Alphaproteobacteria - isolation & purification; Alphaproteobacteria - physiology; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Caragana; Caragana - microbiology; DNA Fingerprinting; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - genetics; Economic plant physiology; Electrophoresis; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Fingerprinting; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gel electrophoresis; Gene sequencing; Gene transfer; Genes; Genes, Bacterial; Host plants; Mesorhizobium; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases - genetics; nifH; NifH gene; nodC; Nodulation; Oxidoreductases - genetics; Polyacrylamide; Proteome - analysis; Rec A Recombinases - genetics; RecA protein; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; rRNA 23S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Similarity; Sodium dodecyl sulfate; Sodium lauryl sulfate; Species; Symbiosis; Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...); symbiotic gene
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01167.x

Abstract Fourteen strains representing 11 Caragana-nodulating Mesorhizobium genomic species were identified as representing Mesorhizobium amorphae, Mesorhizobium huakuii, Mesorhizobium septentrionale and groups related to Mesorhizobium plurifarium, Mesorhizobium temperatum, Mesorhizobium tianshanense and Mesorhizobium mediterraneum by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, 16S–23S internal transcribed spacer, partial housekeeping recA gene, and previously performed sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins and BOX-PCR fingerprinting. Despite their different taxonomic affiliation, highly similar symbiotic genes (>93% similarity for nodC and >91.8% similarity for nifH) were found among the Caragana strains and the three type strains for M. tianshanense, M. temperatum and M. septentrionale. Cross nodulation tests revealed that each of these 14 Caragana mesorhizobia and the three type strains mentioned above could effectively infect each of their original host plants, Caragana microphylla, Glycyrrhiza (host for M. tianshanense type strain) and Astragalus adsurgens (host for M. temperatum and M. septentrionale type strains). These results provide evidence that different Mesorhizobium species can nodulate with Caragana, and they have similar symbiotic genes (probably acquired by a phenomenon of lateral gene transfer) and common host ranges.