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Isolation of Rhizobium tropici mutants with enhanced respiration and nitrogen fixation

Reference	BBS/E/J/00001203
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor J Downie
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	3,454
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	31/07/1997
Duration	4 months

Abstract

Rhizobium tropici is a soil bacterium that enters into a nitrogen fixing symbiosis with a wide variety of tropical legumes. This symbiosis is of great agronomic importance particularly in countries such as Mexico and Spain, where it is routinely inoculated into legumes. Preliminary observations have indicated that in related rhizobial strains, genetic alterations to the respiratory pathway can increase the efficiency of nitrogen fixation in legumes. The electron transport chain of free living cells of R. tropici will be compared with that which is present in nitrogen-fixing bacteroids from legume nodules. Different components of the electron transport pathway will be identified by isolating mutants altered in respiration. In particular, mutants altered in the regulation of cytochromes will be isolated. This will involve screening for mutants that acquire the ability to oxidise specific electron donors coupled to chromogenic indicators. The mutant genes will be characterised and the effects of the mutations on symbiotic nitrogen fixation will be studied.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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