scholarly journals Root Colonization by Agrobacterium tumefaciens Is Reduced in cel, attB,attD, and attR Mutants

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (7) ◽  
pp. 2341-2345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann G. Matthysse ◽  
Susan McMahan
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Root Length ◽  
Root Colonization ◽  
Bacterial Pathogenesis ◽  
Bacterial Suspension ◽  
Cellulose Synthesis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Tomato Roots ◽  
Extensive Growth ◽  
Number Of Bacteria

ABSTRACT Root colonization by Agrobacterium tumefaciens was measured by using tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana roots dipped in a bacterial suspension and planted in soil. Wild-type bacteria showed extensive growth on tomato roots; the number of bacteria increased from 103 bacteria/cm of root length at the time of inoculation to more than 107 bacteria/cm after 10 days. The numbers of cellulose-minus and nonattachingattB, attD, and attR mutant bacteria were less than 1/10,000th the number of wild-type bacteria recovered from tomato roots. On roots of A. thalianaecotype Landsberg erecta, the numbers of wild-type bacteria increased from about 30 to 8,000 bacteria/cm of root length after 8 days. The numbers of cellulose-minus and nonattaching mutant bacteria were 1/100th to 1/10th the number of wild-type bacteria recovered after 8 days. The attachment of A. tumefaciens to cut A. thaliana roots incubated in 0.4% sucrose and observed with a light microscope was also reduced with cel andatt mutants. These results suggest that cellulose synthesis and attachment genes play a role in the ability of the bacteria to colonize roots, as well as in bacterial pathogenesis.

scholarly journals An Isoflavonoid-Inducible Efflux Pump in Agrobacterium tumefaciens Is Involved in Competitive Colonization of Roots

1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (12) ◽  
pp. 3107-3113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Palumbo ◽  
Clarence I. Kado ◽  
Donald A. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Root Colonization ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Nucleotide Sequence Analysis ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Single Strain ◽  
Glucuronidase Activity

ABSTRACT Agrobacterium tumefaciens 1D1609, which was originally isolated from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), contains genes that increase competitive root colonization on that plant by reducing the accumulation of alfalfa isoflavonoids in the bacterial cells. Mutant strain I-1 was isolated by its isoflavonoid-inducible neomycin resistance following mutagenesis with the transposable promoter probe Tn5-B30. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed the transposon had inserted in the first open reading frame, ifeA, of a three-gene locus (ifeA, ifeB, andifeR), which shows high homology to bacterial efflux pump operons. Assays on alfalfa showed that mutant strain I-1 colonized roots normally in single-strain tests but was impaired significantly (P ≤ 0.01) in competition against wild-type strain 1D1609. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments, which produced strains I-4 (ifeA::gusA) and I-6 (ifeA::Ω-Tc), confirmed the importance ofifeA for competitive root colonization. Exposure to the isoflavonoid coumestrol increased β-glucuronidase activity in strain I-4 21-fold during the period when coumestrol accumulation in wild-type cells declined. In the same test, coumestrol accumulation in mutant strain I-6 did not decline. Expression of the ifeA-gusAreporter was also induced by the alfalfa root isoflavonoids formononetin and medicarpin but not by two triterpenoids present in alfalfa. These results show that an efflux pump can confer measurable ecological benefits on A. tumefaciens in an environment where the inducing molecules are known to be present.

scholarly journals The Effect of Cellulose Overproduction on Binding and Biofilm Formation on Roots by Agrobacterium tumefaciens

2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1002-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann G. Matthysse ◽  
Mazz Marry ◽  
Leonard Krall ◽  
Mitchell Kaye ◽  
Bronwyn E. Ramey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Root Colonization ◽  
Viable Cell ◽  
Bacterial Attachment ◽  
Chemical Fractionation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Ciona Savignyi ◽  
Cellulose Synthase Gene ◽  
Plant Surfaces

Agrobacterium tumefaciens growing in liquid attaches to the surface of tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana roots, forming a biofilm. The bacteria also colonize roots grown in sterile quartz sand. Attachment, root colonization, and biofilm formation all were markedly reduced in celA and chvB mutants, deficient in production of cellulose and cyclic β-(1,2)-D-glucans, respectively. We have identified two genes (celG and celI) in which mutations result in the overproduction of cellulose as judged by chemical fractionation and methylation analysis. Wild-type and chvB mutant strains carrying a cDNA clone of a cellulose synthase gene from the marine urochordate Ciona savignyi also overproduced cellulose. The overproduction in a wild-type strain resulted in increased biofilm formation on roots, as evaluated by light microscopy, and levels of root colonization intermediate between those of cellulose-minus mutants and the wild type. Overproduction of cellulose by a nonattaching chvB mutant restored biofilm formation and bacterial attachment in microscopic and viable cell count assays and partially restored root colonization. Although attachment to plant surfaces was restored, overproduction of cellulose did not restore virulence in the chvB mutant strain, suggesting that simple bacterial binding to plant surfaces is not sufficient for pathogenesis.

Effects of an Autoregulatory Senescence-inhibitor Gene Construct on Nicotiana alata Link and Otto.

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 519d-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth R. Schroeder ◽  
Dennis P. Stimart
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Nicotiana Alata ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Delayed Senescence ◽  
Gene Construct ◽  
Shoot Dry Weight ◽  
Inhibitor System

Nicotiana alata Link and Otto. was transformed via Agrobacterium tumefaciens encoding a senescence-specific promoter SAG12 cloned from Arabidopsis thaliana fused to a Agrobacterium tumefaciens gene encoding isopentenyl transferase (IPT) that catalyzes cytokinin synthesis. This was considered an autoregulatory senescence-inhibitor system. In 1996, we reported delayed senescence of intact flowers by 2 to 6 d and delayed leaf senescence of transgenic vs. wild-type N. alata. Further evaluations in 1997 revealed several other interesting effects of the SAG12-IPT gene construct. Measurement of chlorophyll content of mature leaves showed higher levels of both chlorophyll a and b in transgenic material under normal fertilization and truncated fertilization regimes. At 4 to 5 months of age transgenic plants expressed differences in plant height, branching, and dry weight. Plant height was reduced by 3 to 13 cm; branch counts increased 2 to 3 fold; and shoot dry weight increased up to 11 g over wild-type N. alata. These observations indicate the system is not tightly autoregulated and may prove useful to the floriculture industry for producing compact and more floriferous plants.

Transformation and regeneration of English elm using wild-type Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Plant Science ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor M. Fenning ◽  
Sharon S. Tymens ◽  
Jill S. Gartland ◽  
Clive M. Brasier ◽  
Kevan M.A. Gartland
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Wild Type

scholarly journals Extracellular Glycanases of Rhizobium leguminosarum Are Activated on the Cell Surface by an Exopolysaccharide-Related Component

2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (5) ◽  
pp. 1304-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angeles Zorreguieta ◽  
Christine Finnie ◽  
J. Allan Downie
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Cell Surface ◽  
Rhizobium Leguminosarum ◽  
Plant Cell Wall ◽  
Agar Medium ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Colony Surface

ABSTRACT Rhizobium leguminosarum secretes two extracellular glycanases, PlyA and PlyB, that can degrade exopolysaccharide (EPS) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), which is used as a model substrate of plant cell wall cellulose polymers. When grown on agar medium, CMC degradation occurred only directly below colonies of R. leguminosarum, suggesting that the enzymes remain attached to the bacteria. Unexpectedly, when a PlyA-PlyB-secreting colony was grown in close proximity to mutants unable to produce or secrete PlyA and PlyB, CMC degradation occurred below that part of the mutant colonies closest to the wild type. There was no CMC degradation in the region between the colonies. By growing PlyB-secreting colonies on a lawn of CMC-nondegrading mutants, we could observe a halo of CMC degradation around the colony. Using various mutant strains, we demonstrate that PlyB diffuses beyond the edge of the colony but does not degrade CMC unless it is in contact with the appropriate colony surface. PlyA appears to remain attached to the cells since no such diffusion of PlyA activity was observed. EPS defective mutants could secrete both PlyA and PlyB, but these enzymes were inactive unless they came into contact with an EPS+ strain, indicating that EPS is required for activation of PlyA and PlyB. However, we were unable to activate CMC degradation with a crude EPS fraction, indicating that activation of CMC degradation may require an intermediate in EPS biosynthesis. Transfer of PlyB to Agrobacterium tumefaciens enabled it to degrade CMC, but this was only observed if it was grown on a lawn ofR. leguminosarum. This indicates that the surface ofA. tumefaciens is inappropriate to activate CMC degradation by PlyB. Analysis of CMC degradation by other rhizobia suggests that activation of secreted glycanases by surface components may occur in other species.

scholarly journals Spermidine Inversely Influences Surface Interactions and Planktonic Growth in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (19) ◽  
pp. 2682-2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Wang ◽  
Sok Ho Kim ◽  
Ramya Natarajan ◽  
Jason E. Heindl ◽  
Eric L. Bruger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Direct Synthesis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cyclic Diguanylate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exogenous Addition ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Growth Requirement ◽  
Transposon Insertions

ABSTRACTIn bacteria, the functions of polyamines, small linear polycations, are poorly defined, but these metabolites can influence biofilm formation in several systems. Transposon insertions in an ornithine decarboxylase (odc) gene inAgrobacterium tumefaciens, predicted to direct synthesis of the polyamine putrescine from ornithine, resulted in elevated cellulose. Null mutants forodcgrew somewhat slowly in a polyamine-free medium but exhibited increased biofilm formation that was dependent on cellulose production. Spermidine is an essential metabolite inA. tumefaciensand is synthesized from putrescine inA. tumefaciensvia the stepwise actions of carboxyspermidine dehydrogenase (CASDH) and carboxyspermidine decarboxylase (CASDC). Exogenous addition of either putrescine or spermidine to theodcmutant returned biofilm formation to wild-type levels. Low levels of exogenous spermidine restored growth to CASDH and CASDC mutants, facilitating weak biofilm formation, but this was dampened with increasing concentrations. Norspermidine rescued growth for theodc, CASDH, and CASDC mutants but did not significantly affect their biofilm phenotypes, whereas in the wild type, it stimulated biofilm formation and depressed spermidine levels. Theodcmutant produced elevated levels of cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP), exogenous polyamines modulated these levels, and expression of a c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase reversed the enhanced biofilm formation. Prior work revealed accumulation of the precursors putrescine and carboxyspermidine in the CASDH and CASDC mutants, respectively, but unexpectedly, both mutants accumulated homospermidine; here, we show that this requires a homospermidine synthase (hss) homologue.IMPORTANCEPolyamines are small, positively charged metabolites that are nearly ubiquitous in cellular life. They are often essential in eukaryotes and more variably in bacteria. Polyamines have been reported to influence the surface-attached biofilm formation of several bacteria. InAgrobacterium tumefaciens, mutants with diminished levels of the polyamine spermidine are stimulated for biofilm formation, and exogenous provision of spermidine decreases biofilm formation. Spermidine is also essential forA. tumefaciensgrowth, but the related polyamine norspermidine exogenously rescues growth and does not diminish biofilm formation, revealing that the growth requirement and biofilm control are separable. Polyamine control of biofilm formation appears to function via effects on the cellular second messenger cyclic diguanylate monophosphate, regulating the transition from a free-living to a surface-attached lifestyle.

scholarly journals Agrobacterium tumefaciens Transformation of the Radiation Hypersensitive Arabidopsis thaliana Mutants uvh1 and rad5

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1136-1141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaesung Nam ◽  
Kirankumar S. Mysore ◽  
Stanton B. Gelvin
Keyword(s):  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Stable Transformation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Dna Integration ◽  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens Transformation ◽  
Inoculation Assay

The Arabidopsis thaliana mutants uvh1 and rad5, originally identified as radiation hypersensitive, were reported to be deficient in T-DNA integration based on the relative efficiencies of stable transformation and T-DNA transfer. We reassessed these mutants for susceptibility to transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The mutant rad5 showed a significant reduction in the efficiency of transient as well as stable transformation, compared with its wild-type progenitor. These data indicate that rad5 is blocked at a step in the transformation process prior to T-DNA integration. We additionally found, using both an in vitro root inoculation and an in vivo flower bolt inoculation assay, that the mutant uvh1 is as susceptible to A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation as is its wild-type progenitor, C10.

scholarly journals Root Colonization by Phenazine-1-Carboxamide-Producing Bacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1391 Is Essential for Biocontrol of Tomato Foot and Root Rot

2000 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 1340-1345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas F. C. Chin-A-Woeng ◽  
Guido V. Bloemberg ◽  
Ine H. M. Mulders ◽  
Linda C. Dekkers ◽  
Ben J. J. Lugtenberg
Keyword(s):  
Root Rot ◽  
Root Colonization ◽  
Root Tip ◽  
Pseudomonas Chlororaphis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Animal Tissues ◽  
Tomato Seedling ◽  
Antifungal Metabolites ◽  
Seedling Inoculation ◽  
First Time

The phenazine-1-carboxamide-producing bacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1391 controls tomato foot and root rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici. To test whether root colonization is required for biocontrol, mutants impaired in the known colonization traits motility, prototrophy for amino acids, or production of the site-specific recombinase, Sss/XerC were tested for their root tip colonization and biocontrol abilities. Upon tomato seedling inoculation, colonization mutants of strain PCL1391 were impaired in root tip colonization in a gnotobiotic sand system and in potting soil. In addition, all mutants were impaired in their ability to control tomato foot and root rot, despite the fact that they produce wild-type levels of phenazine-1-carboxamide, the antifungal metabolite previously shown to be required for biocontrol. These results show, for what we believe to be the first time, that root colonization plays a crucial role in biocontrol, presumably by providing a delivery system for antifungal metabolites. The ability to colonize and produce phenazine-1-carboxamide is essential for control of F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici. Furthermore, there is a notable overlap of traits identified as being important for colonization of the rhizosphere and animal tissues.

Competitiveness in root colonization by Pseudomonas putida requires the rpoS gene

2001 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles D Miller ◽  
Young-Cheol Kim ◽  
Anne J Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Putida ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Root Colonization ◽  
Plant Root ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Rpos Gene ◽  
Activated Oxygen ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Dose Dependent

The rpoS gene in Pseudomonas putida was essential for plant root colonization under competitive conditions from other microbes. The RpoS- mutant survived less well than the wild-type strain in culture medium, and unlike the wild-type, failed to colonize the roots in a peat matrix containing an established diverse microflora. The RpoS-deficient P. putida isolate was generated by insertion of a glucuronidase-npt cassette into the rpoS gene. The RpoS- mutant had dose-dependent increased sensitivity to oxidative stress and produced Mn-superoxide dismutase activity earlier than the parent. While extracts from wild-type P. putida stationary-phase cells contained three isozymes of catalase (CatA, CatB, and CatC), the σ38-deficient P. putida lacked CatB. These results are consistent with previous findings that CatB is induced in stationary-phase.Key words: catalase, starvation, activated oxygen species.

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