Award details

India-UK Nitrogen Fixation Centre

Reference	BBS/E/J/000CA648
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Raymond Alan Dixon
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	8,428
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/01/2016
End date	31/03/2017
Duration	14 months

Abstract

In this proposal we will use traditional microbial science as well as synthetic biology to engineer synthetic interactions between diazotrophs and cereals. This is driven by the need to improve the sustainability of Indian agriculture, namely decreasing the addition of N-fertilizer while maintaining yields. We will utilise A. caulinodans ORS 571 as a model endophyte to engineer ammonium excretion in association with rice. Regulatory networks controlling nitrogen regulation of nif gene expression will be disrupted, firstly by removing the amino-terminal regulatory domain of the NifA activator protein and secondly by down-regulating the level of the GlnB and GlnK signal transduction proteins. The latter manipulation also influences deadenylylation of glutamine synthetase in A. caulinodans, resulting in ammonium excretion (Michel-Reydellet & Kaminski, 1999). Other key proteins involved in ammonia assimilation (e.g. GOGAT, GDH) and the ammonium transporter AmtB will also be targeted. To ensure that engineered bacteria remain competitive in the rhizosphere, we will utilise plant colonisation-specific gene switches to ensure that components required for ammonium release are only switched on or off when A. caulinodans associates with the crop. To ensure we have selected appropriate rhizosphere switches for control we will also conduct RNASeq of these strains in the rice rhizosphere.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Crop Science, Microbiology, Plant Science, Soil Science, Synthetic Biology
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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