Biomaterial Database

Isolation of a Rhizobium phaseoli cytochrome mutant with enhanced respiration and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. 1989

M Soberón, and H D Williams, and R K Poole, and E Escamilla

Centro de Investigación sobre Fijación de Nitrógeno, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernayaca, Morelos.

Cultured cells of a Rhizobium phaseoli wild-type strain (CE2) possess b-type and c-type cytochromes and two terminal oxidases: cytochromes o and aa3. Cytochrome aa3 was partially expressed when CE2 cells were grown on minimal medium, during symbiosis, and in well-aerated liquid cultures in a complex medium (PY2). Two cytochrome mutants of R. phaseoli were obtained and characterized. A Tn5-mob-induced mutant, CFN4201, expressed diminished amounts of b-type and c-type cytochromes, showed an enhanced expression of cytochrome oxidases, and had reduced levels of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, succinate, and NADH oxidase activities. Nodules formed by this strain had no N2 fixation activity. The other mutant, CFN4205, which was isolated by nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, had reduced levels of cytochrome o and higher succinate oxidase activity but similar NADH and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine oxidase activities when compared with the wild-type strain. Strain CFN4205 expressed a fourfold-higher cytochrome aa3 content when cultured on minimal and complex media and had twofold-higher cytochrome aa3 levels during symbiosis when compared with the wild-type strain. Nodules formed by strain CFN4205 fixed 33% more N2 than did nodules formed by the wild-type strain, as judged by the total nitrogen content found in plants nodulated by these strains. Finally, low-temperature photodissociation spectra of whole cells from strains CE2 and CFN4205 reveal cytochromes o and aa3. Both cytochromes react with O2 at -180 degrees C to give a light-insensitive compound. These experiments identify cytochromes o and aa3 as functional terminal oxidases in R. phaseoli.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D009586	Nitrogen Fixation	The process in certain BACTERIA; FUNGI; and CYANOBACTERIA converting free atmospheric NITROGEN to biologically usable forms of nitrogen, such as AMMONIA; NITRATES; and amino compounds.	Diazotrophy,Diazotrophic Activity,Dinitrogen Fixation,N2 Fixation,Activities, Diazotrophic,Activity, Diazotrophic,Diazotrophic Activities,Fixation, Dinitrogen,Fixation, N2,Fixation, Nitrogen
D010101	Oxygen Consumption	The rate at which oxygen is used by a tissue; microliters of oxygen STPD used per milligram of tissue per hour; the rate at which oxygen enters the blood from alveolar gas, equal in the steady state to the consumption of oxygen by tissue metabolism throughout the body. (Stedman, 25th ed, p346)	Consumption, Oxygen,Consumptions, Oxygen,Oxygen Consumptions
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D003580	Cytochromes	Hemeproteins whose characteristic mode of action involves transfer of reducing equivalents which are associated with a reversible change in oxidation state of the prosthetic group. Formally, this redox change involves a single-electron, reversible equilibrium between the Fe(II) and Fe(III) states of the central iron atom (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992, p539). The various cytochrome subclasses are organized by the type of HEME and by the wavelength range of their reduced alpha-absorption bands.	Cytochrome
D004579	Electron Transport	The process by which ELECTRONS are transported from a reduced substrate to molecular OXYGEN. (From Bennington, Saunders Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Laboratory Medicine and Technology, 1984, p270)	Respiratory Chain,Chain, Respiratory,Chains, Respiratory,Respiratory Chains,Transport, Electron
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D012231	Rhizobium	A genus of gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria that activate PLANT ROOT NODULATION in leguminous plants. Members of this genus are nitrogen-fixing and common soil inhabitants.
D013053	Spectrophotometry	The art or process of comparing photometrically the relative intensities of the light in different parts of the spectrum.
D013559	Symbiosis	The relationship between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other or a relationship between different species where both of the organisms in question benefit from the presence of the other.	Endosymbiosis,Commensalism,Mutualism