Genetic control of nitrogen assimilation and nitrogen fixation in free living Azospirillum brasilense: A review

1995 ◽  
pp. 77-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miklos de Zamaroczy
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fixation ◽  
Genetic Control ◽  
Azospirillum Brasilense ◽  
Nitrogen Assimilation ◽  
Free Living

scholarly journals The Azospirillum brasilense Core Chemotaxis Proteins CheA1 and CheA4 Link Chemotaxis Signaling with Nitrogen Metabolism

mSystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena E. Ganusova ◽  
Lam T. Vo ◽  
Paul E. Abraham ◽  
Lindsey O’Neal Yoder ◽  
Robert L. Hettich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fixation ◽  
Nitrogen Metabolism ◽  
Azospirillum Brasilense ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Growth Promotion ◽  
Bacterial Chemotaxis ◽  
Nitrate Assimilation ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chemotaxis Proteins

ABSTRACT Bacterial chemotaxis affords motile bacteria the ability to navigate the environment to locate niches for growth and survival. At the molecular level, chemotaxis depends on chemoreceptor signaling arrays that interact with cytoplasmic proteins to control the direction of movement. In Azospirillum brasilense, chemotaxis is mediated by two distinct chemotaxis pathways: Che1 and Che4. Both Che1 and Che4 are critical in the A. brasilense free-living and plant-associated lifestyles. Here, we use whole-cell proteomics and metabolomics to characterize the role of chemotaxis in A. brasilense physiology. We found that mutants lacking CheA1 or CheA4 or both are affected in nonchemotaxis functions, including major changes in transcription, signaling transport, and cell metabolism. We identify specific effects of CheA1 and CheA4 on nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate assimilation and nitrogen fixation, that may depend, at least, on the transcriptional control of rpoN, which encodes RpoN, a global regulator of metabolism, including nitrogen. Consistent with proteomics, the abundance of several nitrogenous compounds (purines, pyrimidines, and amino acids) changed in the metabolomes of the chemotaxis mutants relative to the parental strain. Further, we uncover novel, and yet uncharacterized, layers of transcriptional and posttranscriptional control of nitrogen metabolism regulators. Together, our data reveal roles for CheA1 and CheA4 in linking chemotaxis and nitrogen metabolism, likely through control of global regulatory networks. IMPORTANCE Bacterial chemotaxis is widespread in bacteria, increasing competitiveness in diverse environments and mediating associations with eukaryotic hosts ranging from commensal to beneficial and pathogenic. In most bacteria, chemotaxis signaling is tightly linked to energy metabolism, with this coupling occurring through the sensory input of several energy-sensing chemoreceptors. Here, we show that in A. brasilense the chemotaxis proteins have key roles in modulating nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate assimilation and nitrogen fixation, through novel and yet unknown regulations. These results are significant given that A. brasilense is a model bacterium for plant growth promotion and free-living nitrogen fixation and is used as a bio-inoculant for cereal crops. Chemotaxis signaling in A. brasilense thus links locomotor behaviors to nitrogen metabolism, allowing cells to continuously and reciprocally adjust metabolism and chemotaxis signaling as they navigate gradients.

Expression of the nodulation and nitrogen fixation genes in Rhizobium meliloti during development

Genome ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 354-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
San Chiun Shen ◽  
Shui Ping Wang ◽  
Guan Qiao Yu ◽  
Jia Bi Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fixation ◽  
Rhizobium Meliloti ◽  
Abnormal Development ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Nod Genes ◽  
Nodule Initiation ◽  
Fix Genes ◽  
Nitrogen Fixation Genes

Genes that specify nodulation (nod genes) are only active in the free-living rhizobia or in the nodule initiation state of rhizobia. As soon as the repression of nod genes occurs in the bacteroids of the nodule, nifA is induced, while ntrC is inactivated and thus the nifA-mediated nif/fix genes are turned on. Limitation of available oxygen brings about the induction of nifA, which reflects the actual status of nif/fix gene activities in symbiotic state of rhizobia. Oxygen thus appears to be a major symbiotic signal to the expression of bacteroid nif/fix genes. Mutation of nifA or shortage of nifA product in wild-type rhizobia caused by the inhibition of multicopy nifH/fixA promoters leads to an abnormal development of nodules and premature degradation of bacteroids in nodules.Key words: nitrogen fixation, nodulation, nif/fix regulation, nifA mutant.

Molecular and physiological comparison ofAzospirillumspp. isolated fromRhizoctonia solanimycelia, wheat rhizosphere, and human skin wounds

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael F Cohen ◽  
Xiang Y Han ◽  
Mark Mazzola
Keyword(s):  
Rhizoctonia Solani ◽  
Azospirillum Brasilense ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Apple Orchard ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Root Pathogen ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Orchard Soil

Four phenotypically similar bacterial strains isolated from fungal, plant, and human sources were identified as Azospirillum species. Strains RC1 and LOD4 were isolated from the mycelium of the apple root pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG 5 and from the rhizosphere of wheat grown in apple orchard soil, respectively. Strains C610 and F4626 isolated from human wounds were previously misclassified as Roseomonas genomospecies 3 and 6. All four strains demonstrated close similarities in 16S rRNA gene sequences, having [Formula: see text]97% identity to Azospirillum brasilense type strain ATCC 29145 and <90% identity to Roseomonas gilardii, the Roseomonas type strain. Extensive phenotypic similarities among the four strains included the ability of free-living cells to fix N2. Cells of strains RC1, LOD4, and C610 but not of strain F4626 could be induced to flocculate by incubation with 10 mmol·L–1glycerol or fructose in medium containing 0.5 mmol·L–1NO3–. Our results indicate a wide range of potential sources for Azospirillum spp. with the isolation of Azospirillum spp. from human wounds warranting further investigation.Key words: Azospirillum brasilense, Roseomonas fauriae, flocculation, Rhizoctonia solani.

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