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PMID: 14702322 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

An evolutionary hot spot: the pNGR234b replicon of Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234.

Journal of bacteriology ·Vol. 186 ·No. 2 ·2004-01-00 ·Pages 535-42

Streit WR, Schmitz RA, Perret X, Staehelin C, Deakin WJ, Raasch C, Liesegang H, Broughton WJ

Abstract

Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234 has an exceptionally broad host range and is able to nodulate more than 112 genera of legumes. Since the overall organization of the NGR234 genome is strikingly similar to that of the narrow-host-range symbiont Rhizobium meliloti strain 1021 (also known as Sinorhizobium meliloti), the obvious question is why are the spectra of hosts so different? Study of the early symbiotic genes of both bacteria (carried by the SymA plasmids) did not provide obvious answers. Yet, both rhizobia also possess second megaplasmids that bear, among many other genes, those that are involved in the synthesis of extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs). EPSs are involved in fine-tuning symbiotic interactions and thus may help answer the broad- versus narrow-host-range question. Accordingly, we sequenced two fragments (total, 594 kb) that encode 575 open reading frames (ORFs). Comparisons revealed 19 conserved gene clusters with high similarity to R. meliloti, suggesting that a minimum of 28% (158 ORFs) of the genetic information may have been acquired from a common ancestor. The largest conserved cluster carried the exo and exs genes and contained 31 ORFs. In addition, nine highly conserved regions with high similarity to Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58, Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110, and Mesorhizobium loti strain MAFF303099, as well as two conserved clusters that are highly homologous to similar regions in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora, were identified. Altogether, these findings suggest that >/==" BORDER="0">40% of the pNGR234b genes are not strain specific and were probably acquired from a wide variety of other microbes. The presence of 26 ORFs coding for transposases and site-specific integrases supports this contention. Surprisingly, several genes involved in the degradation of aromatic carbon sources and genes coding for a type IV pilus were also found.

MeSH Terms
Chromosome Mapping Fimbriae, Bacterial/genetics Integrases/genetics Multigene Family Open Reading Frames Pectobacterium carotovorum/genetics Replicon Rhizobium/genetics Transposases/genetics
Chemicals
Integrases Transposases
Authors & Affiliations
8 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Streit W R
Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. wstreit@gwdg.de
Schmitz R A
Perret X
Staehelin C
Deakin W J
Raasch C
Liesegang H
Broughton W J
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Article Info
Journal
Journal of bacteriology
Abbr.
J Bacteriol
ISSN
0021-9193
DOI
10.1128/JB.186.2.535-542.2004
Email
wstreit@gwdg.de
Published
2004-01-00
Pages
535-42
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
2985120R
PMCID
PMC305759
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1128/JB.186.2.535-542.2004 PMC Full Text View journal details
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